Saturday, July 4, 2009

Poppy - 'Falling in Love'


The last 2 years I have been trialing a new Poppy (Papaver rhoeas) from seed called Falling in Love from Park Seed Co. The description is as follows.... "a bright large-flowered mixture of semi- and fully doubles in shades of red, carmine, crimson, scarlet, and rose.....plus coral, pink, and white in solid and bi-colored forms. This Dutch introduction offers rich, watercolor shades hard to find elsewhere in the garden. Cupped and rounded, the 3 inch blooms look like silk, and arise very heavily on plants 9 to 18 inches tall and 12 inches wide."





Here is a nice group of fully double coral colored ones.






This bicolor pink semi-double is pretty and refreshing.





A close up of a rose colored double form.







A single stem of a red and white bicolor, blooming amidst the other flowers.






Same flower as above, photographed from below with the summer sky as a backdrop.
(This is my Red, White and Blue photo for this year. Happy Fourth of July to everyone!)




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My conclusion about Falling in Love poppies? For me, they didn't really live up to their lofty description. Although I find them pretty, I prefer the old fashioned single Shirley Poppies I have grown for many years, for several reasons. They are taller, bear more and larger blooms, which hold on the plant longer and bloom over a longer period. I love their translucent , delicate, papery petals that just have more of a cottage look to me.... and, as whole, make a greater impact in the flower garden. And the best thing about Shirley poppies? They self sow so freely, a trait that I am fond of... which these didn't seem to do.

Sounds like I will need to do a post dedicated to the Shirley Poppy someday. :-)



16 comments:

Catherine said...

Happy 4th to you too! I delighted in all the photos, Connie. You are correct, in Shirley Poppies we get all the color and delicate beauty with its self-sowing nature (not that mine have ever come back). Yes, let's see your Shirleys!

sweetbay said...

Oh my, those are beautiful. I love Shirley poppies whether single, semi-double or double, lol. I've tried 'Choir of Angels' and really like that mix. Gorgeous photographs, and I especially like the picture of the poppy with a view of your garden in the background. It looks like an ocean of color.

Looking forward to your Shirley Poppy post.

Victoria Williams said...

Those poppies sure are pretty though.
We need to add some poppy seeds next year. Just didn't have the spot or the ambition this spring. I still have some seeds you sent us.

Beth said...

The only poppy I have tried (and with some success this year) is the California. These are sure pretty though ...

joey said...

Like you, I am in love with poppies and your photos are lovely, Connie. My oriental poppies never seem to let me down but love dear Shirley also. My alpines seem to be very happy this summer also. Do hope summmer finds you and your garden filled with happiness.

Roses and Lilacs said...

Hi Connie, I'd love to see you do a post on the Shirleys. I haven't grown poppies in years and I've been looking at the doubles like you have in this post. Interesting to know they don't live up to the advertising. I grew California poppies this year and they were a disappointment too.
Marnie

Dirt Princess said...

They are so nice! I wish we could grow them here! Oh well, I will just enjoy yours

Unknown said...

oh, I wish, I wish I had enough sun to grow poppies! Yours are so lovely!

Shady Gardener said...

Thank you for your photos and information. I love poppies and I will look forward to your post on Shirley poppies. :-)

Holly said...

Oh my, he is a handsome little guy! I am jealous! I want a toad in my garden!

Valerie the Pumpkin Patch Quilter said...

So beautiful. I sowed shirley poppies for the first time this year, and am so happy to hear they reseed well. If they are anything like the california poppies I did last year then I hope to see a whole slew of them return next spring. Woohee! :)

Sue said...

I like the old fashioned flowers best. It seems like the new cultivers always come with lofty claims-and rarely deliver.
I have some flowers on my deck that no bee goes near-fancy new hybrids that came with a lot of fanfare and a hefty price tag to boot. Give me the old fashioned's any day.

Basil Becky said...

I adore Poppies. They are some of the most cheerful flowers. Thanks for sharing!

Kylee Baumle said...

Actually, when I saw these, I thought they looked more like Shirley Poppies. Shirleys are the only kind of I have thus far grown with any measure of success. I've got some orientals planted that are doing okay so far (just planted this summer). We'll see if they come back next year. I KNOW the Shirleys will. :-)

These are pretty, nonetheless!

Jan said...

Hi Connie, so sorry I haven't visited more often! I didn't realize you had been ill and not feeling well. I hope you are feeling up to par now...and enjoying your gardening season! I love the Spanish Lavender you showed in one of your previous posts. I love it's fullness...and the feathery 'wings'! Your poppies are so pretty. I have not yet grown any poppies! I haven't found the right spot for them. Next year I will put them in my front garden, where they get the most sun. Your photos are lovely...some of them almost look like paintings;-)

em said...

hi, i love the way you have treated the colors in these photos. did you do something special?