We Shall Remember

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,

~ John McCrae, May 1915

(please click to enlarge)

On the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month in 1918 the guns of Europe fell silent.

B is for Blue Poppy

or Himalayan Poppy (Meconopsis). It is one of the most beautiful sky-blue flowers around and is quite difficult to grow. You need dappled shade, moisture and make sure it doesn’t dry out in the summer. It is a real head-turner in the garden. Meconopsis grandis, known as the blue poppy, is the national flower of Bhutan.

Poppy: Papaver orientale “Perry’s White”

This oriental poppy has large ruffled papery white flowers with a pink blush and attractive maroon blotches in the centre that gradually fade to white.

“Perry’s White”

Blue Poppy / Meconopsis

Meconopsis produce large disc-shaped flowers in early summer, most famously in deep intense blue, but also in many other colours. They like a cool sheltered site, out of the strongest winds, and a rich woodland soil, in sun or part shade. They are best planted small, in autumn or early spring, so that they are well-established before flowering. They are difficult to grow unless you provide them with the ideal location, but well-worth it if you can.