Poppy time

One of my favourite flowers is the poppy, Papa er.

Different shapes, sizes, and colours.

Oriental poppies (large reds and pinks), californian poppies (small and orange) , Welsh (yellows),                               Himalayan (largish, pale blue)                                      wild British poppies (reds, pinks and white), some are called Shirley’s mixed or ladybird with black splodge.

Their petals are enclosed in bulbous green capsules until they open to display paper petals that unfurl into lovely flowers. A central large seed head like a pepper shaker is left to dry and mature after the petals fall.

Poppy juice is collected and has been used in medicine over the ages, but this can be dangerous. Don’t do anything but admire the flowers beauty.