This year I planted 2 Papaver Orientalis - Beauty of Livermere and
Checkers beneath a small tree, but in the sun.

I've had just one very short lived flower from the Beauty of Livermere.

The Checkers (should be large black and white flowers) developed 4
healthy looking flower heads, but before they opened they went black and
burnt looking and are clearly not now going to produce anything.

Could this be the plant just taking time to settle in, is it diseased,
or was there something I should have done to prevent this problem? I
have never deliberately grown poppies before, although "volunteers" seem
to thrive in my garden (on the east coast of Scotland.

TIA

Steve