…The unexpected things are always the best
This is the garden of some friends who had some building work done to produce a sunken seat in the space. Before the builder got there, the garden had one small patch of poppies. He turned over rather a lot of earth and it got spread about a bit….
…and this was the delicious result:
A forest of poppies.
4 Comments
The ability of poppies to seed bank and quickly cover a disturbd site has always pleased and enchanted me. They can furnish the most lavish floral displays on the most difficult and unpromising terrain. These poppies are not, however, the poppies celebrated in the fields of Flanders. No these would be more admired in the fields of Afghanistan, as they are wonderful examples of Papaver somnifera, Opium Poppy. I,m sure Cadfael would have been charmed and Plantophiles like you and I are gratified at the brave show they make, yet I’m not sure they’ll provoke much admiration from the British drug enforcement community. I pray it is different in the Old Country, but in our neck of the woods such a display might just occasion a visit from the Police and a quick tearing out and burning. In consequence, I’m forced to plant the very showy double flowered, mixed colour varieties that are offered by some seed companies. This seems to confuse the narcs whom I suspect of not being the brightest bulbs in the hardware store.
I love the garden pics on your site. Keep up the good work and keep your green friends flourishing.
Charles Knighton
Hello Charles
How I adore your comments!….These are such beautiful flowers and thankfully we’re allowed to grow them in the ‘Old Country’. The owners sit amongst them and marvel at how the bees congregate….in fact they report that the number of bees first thing in the morning is more than a little alarming, so they have had to confine their sitting time to afternoons…such is life!
Laetitia
Hi Laetitia,
I love your Image the ‘Gaura lindheimeri’!!
I have the Gaura Passionate Blush. These plants are so sweet.
I love nothing more than walking through a tall field of flowers, especially Poppies. It makes me think of the fallen soldiers, the fileds of afghanistan and the house where i grew up. Gardening can stir up so many memories. Great post!