Poppies for every garden

1 Papaver rhoeas (annual)

The scarlet corn poppy is the one most commonly referred to as the remembrance poppy. P. commutatum

is similar and its most common variety is the black-spotted scarlet ‘Ladybird’. Grow from seed.

Flowers May-Jul or Aug-Sep

Height x Spread 90cm x 30cm

2 P. orientale (perennial) The Oriental poppy ‘Helen Elizabeth’ is tall with big, blowsy flowers of white, red, pink, lilac and purple, usually with a black blotch at the base of each petal. Ideal for sunny borders. Buy potted or bare-root plants.

F May-Jul

HxS 85cm x 40cm

3 Eschscholzia (perennial but treated as an annual) The Californian poppy has feathery grey-green foliage and flowers that may be red, yellow, white or orange depending on the variety. Grow from seed sown direct in hot, sunny spots.

F Jun-Aug

HxS 25cm x 25cm

4 P. nudicaule (perennial) The Iceland or Icelandic poppy is sown one year to flower the next. Tissue-paper-thin flowers of orange, yellow, pink, white and red. Good for cutting, which is unusual for a poppy. Can be grown in pots.

F Jun-Sep

HxS 45cm x 20cm

5 Papaver somniferum (annual) The opium poppy is taller than the corn or Shirley poppies. The greygreen foliage is usually hairless. Flowers may be white, pink, red, purple or rich burgundy, as in ‘Black Peony’. Grow from seed.

F May-Aug

HxS 120cm x 50cm

6 Meconopsis (mostly short-lived perennials) The Himalayan blue poppy prefers cool, damp, woodland soil in dappled shade. Hates hot, dry conditions and chalky soil. Glorious electric-blue flowers. Grow from seed.

F Jun-Jul

HxS 120cm x 45cm