I’m sure you all know how it is when you’ve been away for a few days and, as you approach home, suddenly become desperate to see how the garden has got on without you (usually fine, of course!). Well, yesterday I got to back to discover that my new poppies, Papaver rhoeas ‘Amazing Grey’, have begun to open and now I’ve fallen in love again, with yet another poppy.
Thompson and Morgan, one of its suppliers, describe its appearance thus: “Semi-double ruffled blooms in chic blue-grey shades”. Chiltern Seeds list those shades as: pearly grey, slate blue, misty mauve with the occasional flush of dusky pink.
I’m put in mind of stormy skies or stone fruit, sloes or damsons, with that lovely powdery bloom on their skins. The poppies open with delightful crumpled tissue-like petals. Each flower would make a perfect ball gown or ballerina dress.
This morning the flowers are covered in hoverflies:
They are looking good with Ammi major and Eschscholzia, which were scattered around the border at the same time.
I will definitely be collecting seed from them, so that I can enjoy them all over again next year.
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It is fabulous, isn’t it? All my garden visiters are bowled over by it. Each one is different but all equally lovely. Last year’ plants seeded so I have been saved the trouble of sowing it again.
Thanks Liz, that’s good to know! I will save seed for new areas then.
Gorgeous.
Thanks
Wonderful to see them in flower – the colour is very striking. I sowed some of these in Mum’s garden, but I’m afraid the slugs have got them. I was a bit late because we had so many days of late ground frost and I wasn’t sure they could take it.
What a shame! I sowed these quite late, but we haven’t had the rain you have … still got the slugs and snails though, of course.
Saw this on Liz’s blog too…. aren’t they gorgeous! 😃
Ah yes, just caught up with Liz’s post. I remember that she grew them last year too … which is probably where I spotted them in the first place! 🙂
Nice colour.
And each one different!
This is amazingly beautiful.
Couldn’t agree more!
Very striking! I like your combinations too.
Thanks. I think those greys work with just about everything.
So gorgeous… I wonder if seed is available in the US? Often we have to wait YEARS before we get things from the UK, all the red tape!
I hope you source some soon. Brexit seems to have messed up a lot of previously smooth exchanges here with European seed suppliers etc, so we are experiencing delays and red tape too.
I hope things smooth out soon. I guess we’ve been spoiled all these years, taking the supply chain for granted. Not so now!
What a fabulous poppy!
Thanks. It certainly is!
I’d say your ‘Amazing Grey’ is an amazing grace. It’s a beautiful flower. I’m turning grey and am a bit crinkled at this point — I should look so good!
Lol, me too! Grey has obviously got many nuances.
This is a glorious poppy, and if Chloris hadn’t already promised me seed I would have been asking you – I think Chiltern Seeds had sold out when I looked for them last year
Kk. This is Liz’s second year with them I believe and they have seeded themselves. If you need more give me a shout.
Thanks Allison
Fantastic! Are they easier/harder than other poppies? I have not been successful with poppies but love them.
Just like field poppies. These were broadcast sown in early May. Hope you luck out next time.