Pretty Poppies

Anyone who has ever been to my garden will note that I am very fond of Poppies! I planted a row of Shirley poppies in my vegetable garden many years ago, and was enchanted by their tissue paper texture and lovely colors and bi-colors. They reseeded, came back, and then I began casting the seeds all over my garden! I still love the Shirley poppies, but each year I try some new ones of other types. Last year it was Drama Queen and Pink Ruffled and Lauren's Grape. This year I obtained seed from a Gardenweb trade for White Swansdown....pictured below.

It is aptly named, as it's large double flowers with snow white petals do have the look of the fine soft feathers of a Swan's down. These are about 3 ft. tall and the foliage is a pleasant grayish blue-green color. The Latin name is Papaver somniferum laciniatum.

Another endearing feature of Poppies are the buds. I like the way they gracefully hang their heads, until they are ready to fully bloom. Then they stand upright... at attention! Here is a fat bud, just beginning to open, still in it's drooping position.

A close-up of the feathery white 'down'.