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Saturday, April 1, 2017

A POPPYLICIOUS MOMENT

California is not alone in its display of poppies. Look at this clump of California poppies, Eschscholtzia californica, growing in the upper level of my sunken garden. It is probably a seedling of the variety 'white linen' which I purchased many years ago. It still pops up occasionally.


Last year there was a small clump of white poppies in the corner, this year there are even more. It wouldn't be fair to say that I like the white one better than the orange one, but the fact is the orange one seeds with abandon, the white one rarely.
Here they re growing in a fallow bed in the vegetable garden. I shall need that bed soon to plant beans.


But there are plenty more growing in other places, which if I leave, will be enough to insure a fresh crop next year. It will just be a matter of trying to collect the seeds before the seed capsules open.


If you haven't realized already I am very tolerant of plants seeding themselves. So there are always plenty of corn poppies, Papaver rhoeas,  flowering in competition with the California poppies.


And more intruders in the vegetable garden.


But where are the Lauren's Grape poppy I seeded this year. I have tried to grow that variety several times and have always failed.

2 comments:

  1. I love all your self-seeders, Jenny! My own 'White Linen' poppies finally took hold on my back slope, courtesy of our winter rains I expect. I tend to clean up my garden too quickly but I'm trying the keep my hands off the clippers this year.

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  2. I adore your garden. The mix of stone and natives just strikes a chord in me. Are you ever on garden tour stops? If not, so glad to have your blog for inspiration!

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