some fabulous poppies

Our profile image with some ivory and red poppies and a barn in the background were taken in spring. I'm responsible for the wild poppy patch, but not the barn which sits in the neighboring farm.

The ivory blooms came from the California poppy called "Alba". The vermillion blooms were from the type called "Mikado". I did not have to worry too much about watering these plants last spring. They were fine with spring showers. The poppies worked beautifully when inter planted with some perennial flowers, but they're really something to behold when planted in drifts in the garden. And of course, spectacular when they are in a super bloom, covering the hills of California about once in a decade when conditions are right.

The Alba and Mikado combo was planted in late winter. Compared to the "Mikado, the "Alba" is a more brisk grower although both are quite prolific spreaders.  I typically remove the plants before the seed pods mature to control the spread. Whatever seeds have been left on the ground will come back the following year. And on and on it goes!

These poppies are such happy, no fuss flowers that it's hard to get mad at them for reseeding so vigorously. These are, after all, wildflowers. They ride the fateful wind to save their future selves. Their nature is to persist, to live on fighting the odds; how can we blame them for that?

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