Nine years ago a neighbour gave us some poppy seeds. The flowers had mainly white petals with some red at the bottom. As the season progressed successive blooms had more red, until they were mainly red with just a white border at the top (I think it was that way round!). The details are hazy due to a tragic bereavement that year which blocked out other things. Apart from being striking and unusual, the presence of 'poppies for remembrance' seemed appropriate.

I'd like to grow more of those poppies next year to mark the 10th anniversary, but have moved house and lost touch with the neighbour. Does anyone know what these were and where I might obtain seeds? Also are the seeds best planted this autumn or next spring? I live in Manchester.

Thanks in advance

"LittleSue" wrote


Nine years ago a neighbour gave us some poppy seeds. The flowers had
mainly white petals with some red at the bottom. As the season
progressed successive blooms had more red, until they were mainly red
with just a white border at the top (I think it was that way round!).
The details are hazy due to a tragic bereavement that year which blocked
out other things. Apart from being striking and unusual, the presence of
'poppies for remembrance' seemed appropriate.

I'd like to grow more of those poppies next year to mark the 10th
anniversary, but have moved house and lost touch with the neighbour.
Does anyone know what these were and where I might obtain seeds? Also
are the seeds best planted this autumn or next spring? I live in
Manchester.



Was it like this....

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Danish-Flag-...-/300604125165

which has rather grey/blue leaves or was it like a normal wild UK poppy in
habit with green leaves?

-- Regards
Bob Hobden
Posting to this Newsgroup
from the W.of London. UK

Thanks for the link. It was nothing like the Danish Flags. The flowers were like wild poppy shape, not feathered. I'm certain the lower colour went around the whole flower, not a cross or a bit in the middle of each petal. I don't remember the foliage colour but the overall habit was like wild poppies.

From a quick look at that website "Papaver Rhoeas Shirley Poppies Single petal" is the nearest, but not exactly what I remember. I remember the petals being almost tulip-like. Maybe like a cross between #41B- Poppy Seeds Red Tulip Poppies Papaver glaucum | eBay and the red and white example of poppy seeds, poppies items in One Stop Poppy Shop store on eBay!.

I'm not sure now whether the second colour started at the base and worked upwards, or downwards from the top, but there was a clear even line where the colour changed, and it moved up/down gradually during the season.

Didn't realise there were so many different types of poppy - I could get hooked on growing them!

On 13/06/2012 18:27, LittleSue wrote:
Nine years ago a neighbour gave us some poppy seeds. The flowers had
mainly white petals with some red at the bottom. As the season
progressed successive blooms had more red, until they were mainly red
with just a white border at the top (I think it was that way round!).
The details are hazy due to a tragic bereavement that year which blocked
out other things. Apart from being striking and unusual, the presence of
'poppies for remembrance' seemed appropriate.

I'd like to grow more of those poppies next year to mark the 10th
anniversary, but have moved house and lost touch with the neighbour.
Does anyone know what these were and where I might obtain seeds? Also
are the seeds best planted this autumn or next spring? I live in
Manchester.

Thanks in advance





Hi Sue,

I suspect your poppy may have been the white form of Papaver rhoeas,
which displayed an increasing tendency to revert to its fully red form.

I think your best chance of repeating your poppy would be to buy either

http://www.thompson-morgan.com/flowe...l-white/8278TM

or

http://www.sarahraven.com/shop/seeds...ppy-white.html

and hope that there is some slight reversion to red. I suspect there is
a strong tendency for this to happen. If so, you can save seed from
those plants which most match those in your memory. They may or may not
come true to the favoured white and red parent, but I think it's worth a
try.

Hope this helps.

--
Spider
from high ground in SE London
gardening on clay

Thanks Spider. The ones I had came from another gardener's garden, (not from a packet) so maybe they were something white reverting to red. Papaver rhoeas doesn't look the right shape, but your suggestion is worth a try if I can't find something that matches my memory. I'll get some to plant this autumn in the hope they'll flower late May/early June like the others did.
Thanks again for your help
Sue

Thanks Spider. The ones I had came from another gardener's garden, (not from a packet) so maybe they were something white reverting to red. Papaver rhoeas doesn't look the right shape, but your suggestion is worth a try if I can't find something that matches my memory. I'll get some to plant this autumn in the hope they'll flower late May/early June like the others did.
Thanks again for your help
Sue

Thanks Sacha. Unfortunately none of those look like I remember.
Sue

ROFLOL
If I go around saying I'm hooked on poppies it could change my image entirely!
Sue