On Fri, 11 Jul 2008 12:29:40 +1000 "David Hare-Scott"
wrote:

Any ideas to improve the situation?

It sounds like they are windblown. Is the location very exposed?

Gets the westerly winds (I should have mentioned I am in Sydney) but
these are not an everyday occurrence.

I remember my mother growing these - beautiful robust plants with big
poppies on long stems.

I am really disappointed - maybe the pants from Bunnings were in some
way stunted?