ChatterBank3 mins ago
Poppies
I moved into my current home very late last year and did not see much going on with the garden or lawn. Now however it is either in flower or in bud ready to flower and I have the most glorious array of plants. I have roses, bluebells,primroses,loads of other plants ( I am still identifying some ) and I have mint, rosemary, and lemon balm. Now the cream of the crop getting ready to bloom are the poppies, there are loads of them, and I adore poppies. The poppies are not as disciplined as the other plants and have grown everywhere. Will I be able to move them next autumn ? How well do poppies keep as a cut flower ? I am not superstitious, I would like to share them when they bloom. I also have an apple tree and cherry tree, Aren't I the lucky one ? !
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You certainly are lucky flump, they always say when you move house you shouldn't do anything drastic for a year in the garden-just wait and see what you have.Poppies are annuals or biennials and really don't like being moved, but they will self seed so you will have them next year. If they are oriental poppies, which are perennials, they don't like being disturbed either. If you want them as cut flowers you have to cut them just before the buds are fully open, I think they last reasonably well but can't be certain as I can't bear to cut any flowers in my garden :0) Hope this helps -rosy
Nothing is more exciting to me than a garden with loads of surprises and every year a garden looks different from the one before, especially with lovely self seeding popplies. Poppy seeds live literally for years in the ground so when you dig a new patch or disturb the earth up come more and more. Undisciplined gardens are the best, in my opinion. I couldn't bare to leave my garden - I don't care about leaving the house, but after thirty years of spending lots of time and love on the garden I would be devastated to miss the joys of this time of year.
Are these the big perennial poppies if so they can be moved or divided but they have very deep roots. they also spread well with seed let the pods form and dance round the garden sprinkling the seed from the seed pods the seeds fly out like black fairy dust
They don't keep as a cut flower very well If you want to try as soon as you cut them sear the ends of the stem with a lighter flame
They don't keep as a cut flower very well If you want to try as soon as you cut them sear the ends of the stem with a lighter flame
If you like flower arranging, then poppy seed heads which have been left to dry (perhaps in the garage) can be sprayed silver or gold and are wonderful in Christmas arrangements. Mine is a similar garden to yours, and i love seeing what comes up and always get a surprise or two. If you're able to do, then let the flowers go to seed and they will grow in all sorts of places as the seed will have been blown by the wind. There is a group called the Cottage Garden society which is for people who love the less regimented garden. www.thecgs,org.uk
If they are the colourful riental poppies I envy you, I can't get them to grow in my garden. I have a very barren garden all winter, but in spring just watch it burst into life ! It then gets very overcrowded with plants of all sorts growing, at the moment it is overflowing with cornflowers and yellow welsh poppies, both of which seed themselves everywhere! Bluebells are 15 inches tall under purple Clematis and pale blue iris and pink/white azaleas. Just wait and enjoy whatever grows, someone else obviously loved their garden too.
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