In the Poppy Patch

These poppies are just lovely...and so ephemeral. The flowers last about 2 days, at most, and they're just like crepe paper. The pods sort of explode the seeds everywhere once they dry...little holes appear, just like a mini salt shaker.

These were a big surprise when they first came up. The poppy seeds were included in a mystery seed mix that I bought at the very cool Museum of Garden History in London ten years ago. They just fill the same space every year, over and over...and then they're all gone.