I mentioned in my last post that I loved Iceland Poppies (papaver nudicaule ); and that my first few flowers got trounced with the storm. As Gudrun lives in Iceland I asked her if they grew there. She was gracious enough to answer me and said she would find out a little more. (The usual Google search didn't really tell me anything new.) I may have misled Gudrun into thinking that the orchids in my last post were poppies ( there was NO photo of poppies with that post ). The photos in today's post show a big fat Iceland poppy bud ready to open soon; the label from one of the plants punnets of seedlings I planted and some of my very wet roughed up little poppy plants.I am sure that when the sun returns I will be rewarded with more bright, dancing but delicate poppies. ( I hope so ) Do click to enlarge the poppy bud photo so you see the hairy stem and raindrop .We were always taught to singe the hairs off the stem before placing the flowers in the water in the vase to prolong their vase life. ( does that really help? )
When I was a very small girl maybe 5 or 6 I asked to be allowed to have my own garden. Both my parents were keen gardeners and I realise now very successful ones. I got my wish and used a small concrete edge patch that had previously been a sandpit that we had outgrown. Iceland Poppies were one of the flowers I remember growing and I always loved Carnations. My garden soon had a very vigorous maiden hair fern at the back which climbed the wall and was useful for picking for with flowers in a vase.I grew many different flowers, choosing the seed and weeding and watering. Later when I was bigger I got a second garden plot in and around a water tank stand. I wish I had some coloured photos of my garden but the few B & W ones I have don't now look interesting at all.( taken with my own box brownie camera )
Do Iceland Poppies grow in UK, Australia, Canada or USA?
( My own Poppy flowers photos coming soon I hope )
