These beauties were planted last May, papaveri from Italy, poppies of rich-red splendor. All spring plantings, in the Northwest weather of 2010 became molded or eaten by slugs. My garden was planted three times with vegetable starters and seedlings. Even then, I have very little to show for all that money and work.
When I saw these Italian seeds on the rack at 101 Nursery, I took them home with hope. I chose an elevated spot next to a struggling fig tree. I know, what is this obsession with Mediterranean fruit and flowers? I know, I can't resist lemon, orange, fig and persimmon trees, even if 70 degrees is our hot spell.
I'm hopeful!
The lemon trees developed scabby infections, were treated and re-treated, but I still lost two of them. The fig trees are barely showing signs of life. The persimmons have died once, and have resurrected from their roots, showing promise.
These beauties, however, these stunning Poppies remind me of the wheat fields back home in Italy, where hundreds of them appear year after year among the golden heads of wheat, swaying with the wind, pulling your eyes to the fields.
I'm glad these beauties are mine for now.
