Pop Go The Poppies ... Well, Some of Them ...

Shirley Poppies (Papaver rhoeas)

Surely these should be sporting buds by now ... but they're not and I still call them Shirley. (I know, this is Sunday, not Punday, but I do enjoy a bit of wordplay.) I direct sowed seeds from Renee's Garden in one of the back beds exactly 3 months ago today. I've not had much luck growing Shirley Poppies from transplants so I wasn't really expecting much from them. It was a nice surprise to recognize the seedlings and watch them grow into lush clumps of plants. I've not seen any buds on them yet, though, and I'm wondering if they're too crowded by other plants (or each other ... as is my tendency, I didn't thin them out after they sprouted.) I checked Renee's online catalog information but it doesn't say how many days till bloom. Anyone know?

While I was out there, I took a picture of the Carefree Beauty rose that burst into bloom this week, surrounded by Opie-M poppies. You almost can't tell which are roses and which are poppies!


Then I spotted this beauty in the process of emerging from its shell. Just after I took the first picture, a gust of wind blew the last of the husk away and just that quick, the bloom was open. Can you spot the bee on the lower right side of the bud? S/he wasn't that happy about being interrupted in its endeavors and buzzed my head a couple of times to let me know s/he had staked a claim on that blossom!

Comments

LOL -Your pun reminds me of the movie "Airplane": "Surely you can't be serious?" "I am, and stop calling me Shirley."
Those Opie Poppies are so beautiful! It's a perfect color match for the beautiful Rose, which I also grow. I think I might have to try that Poppy/Rose combo. This post is a great tonic for my spirits after shoveling snow this morning.
Gail said…
I love surprises like you found...The rose and poppy are beautiful. I haven't had any luck with poppies and I love them. They must need sharper drainage then we have here...Opie makes me think of Mayberry with Andy and the gang.

gail
I think that is why we garden. All of the tiny tender joys. My poppies are tiny and will stay that way awhile.~~Dee
MA said…
Aren't poppies just incredible? The tissue paper petals, all crinkly wrinkly and fragile, yet saturated with luscious crayon box colors? Oh, be still my heart!
CiNdEe's GaRdEn said…
I love those poppies! I don't have any in my garden. I enjoyed seeing yours blooming!!!
EAL said…
It's weird but I think I like the poppy buds just as much as the flowers.

Like Gail, I don't have the right conditions for poppies.
Rose said…
Hi, Cindy; I came here by way of MMD's and am enjoying all these sunny views of your garden, not to mention your clever puns:) Your poppies are beautiful! I am going to try to plant some for the first time this year; wish me luck.
Lori said…
Pink poppies! I love the pink even more than the red ones you see around Austin. I tried planting some seeds this fall, but I'm fairly certain I yanked up the few that came up, not recognizing the foliage and thinking they were weeds. I'll just look at yours instead. :)
Mindy said…
Cindy, love your poppy pix. Today I tried once again to remove my oriental lily (it was peach the first year, and has been orange for the last 15 years). It figures when I try to actually have a color story, I have this renegade that won't go away. Thanks for sharing.
Lori said…
Oh, and by the way, how are your front yard roses doing after their Big Chop?
garden girl said…
They are beautiful. I used to grow poppies, but my current garden is too shady for them. Celandine poppies added to our garden last year seem to like here, and I like them too, but they're just not the same!
Brenda Pruitt said…
I recently got a poppy, but I can't recall what color the bloom will be. I'd even forgotten what it was supposed to look like until your photos. It's getting ready to bloom, I can tell. Can't wait to see what it looks like!
Brenda
Cindy, MCOK said…
The poppies are such a joy. I was late in sowing the seeds I'd saved from the red varieties I planted last year and there's no way they'll make before it's too hot. Ah, well, next year!

Lori asked about my Mutabilis rose. It took a while but new growth buds have sprouted and are going strong. I'm pretty sure she'll be lovelier than ever in a couple of months. Madame Antoine Mari is blooming already!
Lori said…
I'm glad to hear that your roses bounced back! As of Tuesday, I now have both Perle d'Or and Madame Antoine Mari in my front yard. Once I get the stump out I should be able to cram Felicia and Madame Berkeley in there too. And then after that, I am officially out of room! ;D