Poppies & other flowery goodness
A spectacular welcome-home sight greeted me today: dozens of red-and-purple poppies!
When we left for a Florida road trip on March 6, these seedlings were just beginning to bud. Nearly two weeks of sun and a few rain showers work wonders when spring is at your doorstep. I caught a glimpse of them through the window as we were lugging our stuff from the car into the house, so I dashed into the garden first thing to see what I’d missed.
I did miss some of the flowers, as numerous seedheads are standing bare amid the later poppies. But since I enjoy the seedheads too, I count this as no big loss.
Linda from Central Texas Gardener shared the seeds with me, which I sowed in bare, sharp-draining soil last fall. They are my first poppies, and I’m pleased with how easy they’ve proven to grow from seed.
The flower buds curl downward like a shepherd’s crook.
After blooming, when the flower petals drop off, the seedhead that remains is also attractive. They remind me of round-headed children with fuzzy, pointed caps.
A side view reveals more of the purple coloring at the base.
A top view of a seedhead
Other spring flowers also greeted me, including this native spiderwort (Occidentalis tradescantia), a vigorous spreader for shade and part-sun.
In a certain light, it can appear very blue, like this. But generally it is lavender or magenta.
The species tulips surprised me with flowers too, as there were not even buds when I left. This is Tulipa clusiana ‘Cynthia.’
A closeup
The ‘Blue Elf’ aloe’s asparagus-like flower spikes are blooming too.
As is the trailing ‘Candy Corn’ abutilon.
And my tried-and-true spring flower, the ‘Amethyst Flame’ iris, is adding her regal purple.
Crazily, despite all the spring flowers, it also looks a bit like fall in my garden right now because the live oaks began dropping their leaves while we were gone. Plants, patios, paths, pool, and pond—all are covered in tiny, brown leaves as the live oaks shed last year’s foliage to make way for new spring growth. The only reasonable way to get all the leaves out of the agaves and other spiky plants is to blow them with a leaf blower, so that’s what I’ll be doing tomorrow. But soon I hope to post about our Florida trip, which was wonderful. No pictures of our visit to Disney World, I promise, but I have plenty from the Everglades, the Keys, and Naples Botanical Garden.
All material © 2006-2010 by Pam Penick for Digging. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited.
What a great welcome back! Nice to be surprised in a good way…
Wonderful, flowery welcome home. Incredible poppies so early in the season.
I love poppies. They are one thing that never does well for me so I must admire them in other people’s gardens!
Your poppies are breathtaking! I really love the combination of the flowers and seedheads. That iris is definitely a show-off, too. Welcome spring!
Fabulous photos … that spiderwort is lovely and the poppies really do brighten one’s mood!
Pam,
I guess it’s true…the best part about going away is coming back home again! What a glorious sight!
What a nice surprise for you! Actually several nice surprises. My spiderworts haven’t started budding yet. A neighbor had one bright pink one growing right along the curb that I kept meaning to ask if I could dig up (he just mows them). Maybe I’ll get to it this year.
Beautiful blooms. Neither my spiderworts or tulips have blossomed yet. Really like the Blue Elf Aloe and its flower spikes.
Poppies! I noticed some late today that are starting to move from that bird’s nest shape they have before they send up stems, toward a taller center indicating blooms are only a couple weeks away. Seeds that I scattered in January are just coming up. I hope the season will be extended by a few weeks because I planted both fall and late winter.
Spiderworts! They seem later this year, do you think it was the cold winter?
All the others! Marvelous. Is that cold spell forgotten yet?
Yes, everything seems to be blooming later this year, Nell Jean. While I haven’t forgotten the cold spell—and neither have some of the plants that took a fatal blow—spring is making it seem less devastating. —Pam
Beautiful poppies, Pam! The surprising part is that you managed to unpack the car before going out to the garden… two weeks is a long time. Isn’t it weird to see spring flowers buried in dry brown live oak leaves? I’ve never gotten used to it.
Since the poppy seeds never sprouted here I bought a few poppy plants at NG to poke in. Maybe that’s the only way to get these flowers with absolutely no “bare, sharp-draining soil” in our yard.
Annie at the Transplantable Rose
Annie, I don’t have sharp draining soil naturally either, so I build up new garden beds with trucked-in soil. It works wonders. —Pam
Congratulations on your poppies! I think you’re hooked! They will reseed for you. You really should sow larkspur with your poppies this autumn!
My poppies are just foliage right now. They usually bloom in May (when we’re away in France). This year, we’re going two weeks later, so I think I’ll catch the first of the show for a change.
Wow ~ a LOT happened while you were away Pam. The poppies are gorgeous. I love them in any color (and like you, the seedheads too). I left all the seedheads from mine last year ~ I hope they scattered around like crazy. Hope you had a fabulous vacation ~ you sure got a nice welcome back. 🙂
Now that’s a great welcome home! I love the poppies Pam, they are stunning….gail
I love your poppies. I need to try growing some next year. I am looking forward to seeing photos of your trip.
Those beautiful poppies. They always make my heart sing. I guess because I have never been able to get them going here. I have a neighbor that has a marvelous stand of poppies. I look forward to seeing them each spring. I love the architectural design of the seedheads too. They look so exotic to me. Happy Spring. I look forward to your FL tour pictures and narrative.
I loved seeing all your garden. The only things I had blooming last weekend was a few jonquils. How much water do your abutilons require? I love them but always considered them eastern forest type plants that need quite a bit of water.
The ‘Marilyn’s Choice’ is a trouper, Marilyn (and you need it because of your name!), requiring no more water than my other shade and morning-sun plants last summer. The trailing ‘Candy Corn’ abutilon looked a bit rattier all summer, but it survived without a lot of water too. I haven’t experimented with other varieties through an Austin summer yet. —Pam
Hi, Pam! You’re right; they look more red than pink but possibly not as red as my reds. I can believe I mixed up the seeds but that’s not out of the question at all. Don’t know if poppies cross-pollinate. Anyway, this year I’ll get you some pink FOR SURE. But wow, these are tough guys; not the difficulty at all that I’ve had with poppies in the past. Also, your trip looked great. Wonderful photographs as always!
Too funny! I was expecting pink poppies based on your description and was very surprised to see red when I came home. But you know that red is one of my favorite colors, and these poppies are beautiful. I’m loving them! —Pam
The poppies are gorgeous. I have tried poppies here in North Florida and they didn’t do good at all. Do you know what kind you have? Maybe they will grow here too.
My husband just bought me a tiny ‘Blue Elf’ aloe and I was wandering how cold hardy it will be. Do you know?
These are passalongs, Melody; I don’t know what kind they are. I’m hearing from a number of Austin gardeners that poppies don’t do well for them either. I think the key for southern gardeners (in my vast experience—not!) is sowing them in early fall in sharp-draining soil and not covering them up with mulch. At least, that’s what worked for me.
I cover my ‘Blue Elf’ aloe with a sheet whenever a freeze threatens. It came through our January cold snap down to 17 degrees with only a sheet over it, but it does sit next to a protective stone wall. —Pam
Those are truly some of the loveliest photos I’ve ever seen. What a grand welcome home that must have been!
The poppies are gorgeous. I grow several different types.
It’s arguable that poppy seedheads are more interesting that the flowers.
Species tulips will jump right up–I often never see buds on them. Great images, as always!
Wow, those poppies must have grown up fast. I get poppy seeds to sprout in September or October. The plants grow slowly for months. No sign of them flowering yet in my garden.