Three weeks ago, Sunday last, I was struck dumb at the glorious sight of a flower bed full of poppies in full bloom, glowing in the midday sun. I was insanely jealous. I wanted poppies, fields of poppies. And the worst part of it was that MY poppies were not blooming. Immediately I started fretting and berating myself at my lackadaisical gardening habits over the last few years, never mind that I had good reason.
Of course, reason eventually took hold. I looked at my two remaining poppies (the rest were lured to their deaths by an early false-spring in January 3 years ago). They were huge. Each one had one single flower stalk at that point. I would have poppies, although perhaps only few.
But why? The Rhinebeck poppies were in a narrow flower bed sandwiched between a parking lot and a brick wall painted deep dark red. The flower bed was south facing and the concrete and brick would hold the suns warmth. They were also probably put in by a landscaping service as there is something new in their place now.
And my poppies did bloom, as evidenced by the photo above. And they each sent up more than one blossom, probably around a dozen or so each. They did not bloom all at one time, but I have had several poppies in bloom constantly for the last 10 days or so. When I replace the departed poppy plants, there will eventually be more, and more again as I move on with my gardening and landscaping plans.
I can be a glutton for pretty flowers.
The Azaleas are also in bloom now. This one is called Yaku Princess. It is right next to my front door so I get to enjoy it every day as I walk by, and it is directly in view of my kitchen window.
Beneath the azaleas I found this small lily of the valley, only one, and I searched my brain to figure out how it got there.
I tried planting lily of the valley years ago and they all died, of course the front yard was dark and dank then, all clay and moss; completely unwelcoming. I knew even less about gardening. I may have purchased this one on a whim at the botanical garden last year, thinking I could at least plant one thing and see if it took. I'd say it did. Perhaps there should be a few more.
Comments
3 responses to “Poppies!”
I LOVE poppies. They can make you covetous like no other flower. So sweet, sexy, lazy, friendly, vaguely alien but totally French country – they do it all! I’m impressed that you have any at all 🙂
The colour in those poppies are AMAZING. I am in love.
I have to, as a parent of Lily, give proper respect to that amazing Lily of the Valley. Sweet, delicate, fragrant and extremely feminine. Yes, I am talking about the flower and not my dog.;-)
The only bad thing about poppies is that they only bloom once. Love the lily of the valley. Those grow for me with no trouble. I think you just have to find the right spot, and then they’re almost invasive.