Thanks Lilly, that's a very kind offer, and thanks to the other folks for the pointers. In my gardening naivety I guess I assumed these could only be grown from seed (don't laugh please!) but I see you can buy them as plugs. Maybe this would be a better option?
Dave - you made me well-up and smile at the same time reading about your Poppy idea. I love the idea of growing flowers to celebrate and remember somebody special. I really hope you can find a way to suceed. They are such cheery, happy-looking blooms.
Little white phlox along my fence was looking pretty in the sun yesterday
Wish you success Dave. I lost my niece just before her first birthday, so I can understand how you feel.
I don't have any poppies, but I did grow a few annual ones a few years ago - the ladybird ones which were to commemorate WW1. None of them germinated and I was really disappointed - putting it down to the cold wet soil here. I sowed some more, and one seed germinated and grew. It was slightly poignant somehow, only having one.
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
This is the only sort of poppy I currently grow - this one opened this morning. It's not sunny enough for the annuals, and I don't have room for the spreading perennials.
Dave Humby, there's more than one sort of poppy. The wild red sort which used to grow in cornfields in my youth is an annual, as are the pink Shirley poppies which my grandpa used to grow. They are pretty easy from seed provided you have light soil - which doesn't need to be very fertile - and full sun. The seed remains viable in the soil for years, which is why the fields of Flanders, disturbed by the construction of the trenches in WW1, turned red with poppies. The seeds had remained dormant in the soil until it was disturbed. After flowering they set seed and die.
The sort the kind people on here are offering you are perennials, coming back every year. They are grown from cuttings or division, and have gorgeous big silky flowers in a variety of colours.
It's a lovely idea. Hope you get one going!
Since 2019 I've lived in east Clare, in the west of Ireland.
Posts
Thanks Lilly, that's a very kind offer, and thanks to the other folks for the pointers. In my gardening naivety I guess I assumed these could only be grown from seed (don't laugh please!) but I see you can buy them as plugs. Maybe this would be a better option?
Beautiful pics M-U. LP and TinyGardenGirl.
Dave - you made me well-up and smile at the same time reading about your Poppy idea. I love the idea of growing flowers to celebrate and remember somebody special. I really hope you can find a way to suceed. They are such cheery, happy-looking blooms.
You just need to say, maybe there is a neighbour or someone you know who has a plant . Cuttings are easy.
A A Milne
LP do you take root cuttings of the poppies? I have never tried bit would like to.
No Joyce. I just go down to the base and cut a bit out!!! (Divide) Make sure the root is soaked well first.
The only time it hasn't worked is with the blue mecanopsis Wait till flowering is over
A A Milne
Thanks LP. Will try this year.
Little white phlox along my fence was looking pretty in the sun yesterday
Wish you success Dave. I lost my niece just before her first birthday, so I can understand how you feel.
I don't have any poppies, but I did grow a few annual ones a few years ago - the ladybird ones which were to commemorate WW1. None of them germinated and I was really disappointed - putting it down to the cold wet soil here. I sowed some more, and one seed germinated and grew. It was slightly poignant somehow, only having one.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
This is the only sort of poppy I currently grow - this one opened this morning.
It's not sunny enough for the annuals, and I don't have room for the spreading perennials.
Dave Humby, there's more than one sort of poppy. The wild red sort which used to grow in cornfields in my youth is an annual, as are the pink Shirley poppies which my grandpa used to grow. They are pretty easy from seed provided you have light soil - which doesn't need to be very fertile - and full sun. The seed remains viable in the soil for years, which is why the fields of Flanders, disturbed by the construction of the trenches in WW1, turned red with poppies. The seeds had remained dormant in the soil until it was disturbed. After flowering they set seed and die.
The sort the kind people on here are offering you are perennials, coming back every year. They are grown from cuttings or division, and have gorgeous big silky flowers in a variety of colours.
It's a lovely idea. Hope you get one going!
A beautiful Mecanopsis LP. I love the intensity of the blue.