I promised Diana, Sharing Nature’s Garden, that I would finally post about my spring blooms. The passalong frilly pink Poppy from Jenny, Rock Rose, was what finally spurred me on to do it. Astute readers will note that the above picture is not a frilly pink Poppy, but is rather the state flower Texas Bluebonnet which reseeded in my decomposed granite this year.
The roses this year have been spectacular, even with only knockout roses. They must have enjoyed the extra cold winter we had. That’s also not a picture of a frilly pink Poppy, it’s Sunny Yellow Knockout, which went crazy in March and April covered with blooms.
This amazing sunny “Stop sign” bed in my front yard is bursting with blooms of all kinds. (And more to come, I’m afraid I’ve overplanted with seeds. If you can’t find me in July, somebody bring a machete.) NOTHING in this bed is yet a year old! What on earth is going to look like in year three? You can see the poppies (sans blooms) on the right of the photo.
Are you beginning to wonder if I made up this frilly pink Poppy? First I want to make sure I thank Jenny, Rock Rose for the passalong seeds, and I want you guys to tell me what is the best way to collect these seeds to ensure that I can sow some next year as well as give some away.
Okay, already, THIS is the frilly pink Poppy! Right behind her you can see the single poppies. Each one has been a surprise as to whether it will be single or frilly. I’ve had 3 frilly ones so far. They are so much fun, and so stunning. In the high winds yesterday, I discovered that a newly opened frilly pink Poppy became a single poppy as the wind blew off every single frill. Fortunately, this new one opened today.
Next to come, I have to blog about the Iris. I love those flowers, and they made me proud this year. Colors, scents, and show-offs, oh my!
Getting Grounded 
OMG — That is absolutely stunning. WOW. Boy oh boy do I want seeds! And of course your other blooms and the stop sign bed are beautiful, too. But those poppies are something else!
Let the petals fall and the green seed heads dry to a crispy brown, then break open the pods and all the seeds will come falling out! Everything looks fantastic in your Stop Sign bed. I am determined to have poppies next spring (remind me I said this in October!).
Diana, if I am successful gathering them, I’ll definitely passalong some seeds. Thanks for encouraging me to post!
Caroline, I’ll see if I can accomplish that. Sometimes I’m not so good at seed-collecting, but this one is worth it. And I’ll remind you next October to sow those seeds.
You have SO many beautiful blooms! Yes, the frilly poppy is the show stopper; but the bluebonnets, larkspur, and knockouts are fantastic, too.
Everything looks wonderful and I am so glad you got some frillies. I have decided that I love the frilly pink poppy so much I am culling all the singles. Well, I may leave a few because the bees love to roll around in the stamens and I don’t think they can do that in the frillies. Now, Robin, I remember last year you returned the seeds I gave you from the blue eyed grass. I knew then that you are more controlled than I. So I do worry for your bed at the front. Why not just enjoy the cottage garden look. Let rip girl!
Iris, they are all lovely, aren’t they? I don’t want anyone to feel like they aren’t my favorite, because they are all beautiful.
Jenny, well, I’m really not that “controlled” at all, I misunderstood what the blue-eyed grass would look like and once I looked it up I kicked myself for returning those seeds!You are definitely my inspiration with your sunken garden (tho a smaller scale for sure). And I think I might just keep the frilly seeds, also. Somehow I need to mark those plants that are frilly before I forget! Thanks again.
Robin, you are SO funny! But wow, the stop sign bed is fabulous. You have done a lot in one year. And the poppies are glorious. Here’s the easy way to deal with seeds: when the seed caps are brown, you can cut them off like a sweet gardener. Or you can do my lazy way, which I do when I’m in a hurry: Yank up the plants and upend them in a bag or a big old bucket. In a week or so, pull out the plants and pour or scoop the seeds into a bowl. Let them dry in the house for a few weeks. Then, package them up for next year. You can also scatter a few in the garden, but they’ll do that anyway in the yanking up.
It’s safer to have some that you plant yourself next spring. Especially with rare ones like the frilly ones!
Linda, thanks so much! The lazy method normally appeals to me, so it’s great to have choices here. They are really pretty, aren’t they?
I’ll bet people who walk in your neighbor are making sure their route takes them past that beautiful stop sign bed, Robin – definitely a reason to post!
Wonder if a twistie tie put loosely on the stem of the poppy plant you’re tracking would help you find it in the patch?
Annie at the Transplantable Rose
I do get to meet lots of neighbors when I’m out there, Annie. Thanks for dropping by yourself. And great minds must think alike – this morning I tied some twine around the ones I want to keep, and started removing the single pod heads before they go to seed. Hopefully I’ll narrow it down to mostly frillies!
Wow, your stop sign bed went poof! It looks wonderful, and now you can enjoy it without having to wait for the leaping of year 3. And if things leap too much, you can simply edit. I bet your neighbors are loving your efforts too.
Pam, I know that I and my cat are enjoying it, and I believe the neighbors are as well. Thanks for your years of inspiration in your old cottage garden, too.
You are so funny. Love the stop sign bed. I think too many is marvelous. We are also in a drought, but the plants don’t seem to mind as much as I. Frilly poppies are so pretty.~~Dee
Dee, you’ve certainly gone through the weather extremes in your garden this year. And you’re right, we probably fret more about the weather than the plants do. We should learn some lessons from them!
The stop sign bed is just gorgeous, Robin … nice job! I’m as guilty as you are of going bonkers with seeds, which is why I spent a good 2 days thinning out poppies in MY stop sign bed back in January. I’m not letting them go to seed this year in hopes that I won’t have to spend so much time editing next year. We’ll see.
Cindy, after reading your post about yanking out those poppies, you inspired me to thin my herd before it reseeds as well. Thanks for the inspiration!