I usually plant flowers around the base of the pear trees and the year before last I grew some ladybird poppies. The blurb in the seed catalogue said that once you had grown these poppies that you would never be without as, just like other poppies, they are prolific self seeders. With this in mind I was surprised that not one ladybird poppy grew last year.
It could have been the dry season (what a difference this year is) or it could have been that they were just teasing me but not one ladybird poppy made an appearance.
This year when weeding around the pear trees I noticed leaves that looked very familiar and sure enough this year we have some large clumps of bright red poppies. The clumps grew and produced masses of flower buds.
Can you spot the cluster of aphids that seem to have set up home. Here's a closer look.
The poppies didn't seem to mind and hopefully the aphids were settling down here rather than amongst our fruit and vegetables.
It's not difficult to guess why they are called ladybird poppies is it?
Maybe it's all the talk about diamond jubilee's but is it only me that thinks the seed head looks like the top of a crown?
Back to the clump of poppies though - did you notice something white in amongst the sea of red? Surprisingly we seem to have a single white poppy!
It's certainly not one that we have ever sown - I must remember to check out the leaves on my next plot visit to see whether it has the same distinctive leaf shape as the ladybirds.
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Beautiful poppies! I have a very large red hardy hibiscus that I grew from seed here. Last year, one stem produced white flowers and the rest were red! So strange. I marked the stem, but was unsuccessful at saving some seed from those few flowers. They fell off before I got to the pods. It will be interesting to see if I get any white flowers this year.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if you took a cutting from the white bit whether you would get a plant with wgite flowers, Robin
DeleteFantastic photos, Sue! Coincidentally a friend offered to give me some of these, just the other day. I think they look really beautiful, so I accepted the offer very readily.
ReplyDeleteI agree on the crown look...
Maybe I could name the poppy - Jubilee poppy Mark
DeleteHow attractive. Definitely a contender for being marked and seed saved.
ReplyDeleteIt is, BW but before I get back to the plot no doubt the rain will have washed away the petals.
DeleteI've never grown poppies (I have the Welsh poppies that I blogged about popping up in my garden this year, but they're self sown), and I remember getting a packet of seeds for these ladybird poppies in a gardening magazine a few years ago and I gave them away, I wish I'd kept them now after seeing yours, they're so pretty. Mind you, they do need to be grown in a clump like yours are, and I don't really have anywhere for them. It will be interesting to see if you get any more white ones popping up.
ReplyDeleteI was wondering what colours I may get next year too Jo.
DeleteVery pretty poppies, I love poppies. I have the Welsh ones that have self seeded quite a bit. I've only one or two red poppies so far, and no white. Your white one looks fab.
ReplyDeleteI've an odd Welsh poppy self seeded in the garden too Kellu and lots of pink pompom poppies and various purplish ones self seeding on the plot - none planted by me. I have to keep weeding them out or they'll take over
DeleteA friend of mine has elderly neighbours, when she remarked upon the beauty of their poppies they leaned over the fence and said "you know what dear - they're the ones that the opium growers use". Apparently the council have been round and told them off but they ignored them - i don't think thy've been making opium though.
ReplyDeleteI've seen lots of poppies (Papaver somniferum), sold in seed catalogues and they are referred to as opium poppies. In fact looking at some of the images we have some self seeded ones growing on out plot.See the photos on this page. I never thought of anyome getting into trouble for growing them!
DeleteDo you remember the fuss a few years back when someone had a stray "weed" growing on the top of his allotment compost heap and it turned out to be cannabis?
DeleteI think it was in Sheffield but the Council officers banned the guy from his plot until the police arrived to take the plant away. My (hazy) recollection is that the plot holder was a 60-something army veteran who had probably never seen a joint in his life, let along tried to cultivate the stuff!
drat, I mean let alone, not let along!
DeleteI do remember something vaguely BW - wasn't their one point where it was germinating from throw own bird seed too. Not sure I'd be 100% sure of recognising it as it would be somethin unexpected!
DeleteI seem to recall the plot holder thought it was a stray tomato which is why he left it .....
DeleteGloomy weather here in our area today. This help lift my spirit up since poppy is one of my favourite flowers. I am hoping some self-seeded poppy too this month (so I better not weed anything at the moment).
ReplyDeleteLadybird poppy so pretty!
Gloomy here too Diana but I'm glad the poppies cheered things up a little.
DeleteSuch a lovely sight! Poppies all over like weeds! I wish for them! ;
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I hate aphids!
I hate aphids too Malar but at least they feed the young birds
DeleteIt's a shame you didn't have a random blue one in there two Sue..then you could have claimed to have planted them just for the Jubilee..lol. I think the white one is nice so I am curious to find out if one of your ladybird poppies has become albino or if it was a self seeder.
ReplyDeleteIt is self seeded Tanya as the poppies are just annuals. So one poppy must have been a little promiscuous
DeleteThey are so beautiful, I like them! Thank you for sharing!
ReplyDeleteI'm just wondering if any more colours will appear in future years, Vicky
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