FLOWER FRIDAY - POPPIES

I am enjoying getting "up close and personal" with lots of different flowers, but today it just feels right to show you "the bigger picture".

Mr. HCB's mother had this beautiful poppy plant in her garden, and when she died in 1996 and the house was sold, we asked if we could take some of the plants.  The buyers weren't gardeners so they were happy to let us take whatever we wanted, and I am so glad that we brought this magnificent poppy.  

A couple of years ago, when we dug 30 bags of sharp sand into our border, because it is heavy clay, we also split the plant into four clumps and they are spectacular this year.  We keep saying we have never seen so many flowers, but Mr. HCB has reminded me that we have been away quite a lot, so maybe we just haven't been here when the plant was actually blooming!

Anyway, here is the best of them - and you can count 15 large, beautiful poppies - with more to come.  If you look closely, you can see that one has already gone over and you can see the seed head - I think that must be the one that I blipped on the 23rd May.

I sent a photograph of the poppies to a friend in Pakistan and she said they looked orange so I explained that when the sun is on them they do look more orange than red, but this morning they looked big and bold and red!

So I think this will qualify for Flower Friday and the one in my extras is a view of the whole bed.  

The sun is shining and Mr. HCB has been out there since just after dawn - but then he does go to bed before me!

If I should go before the rest of you
Break not a flower nor inscribe a stone
Nor when I'm gone speak in a Sunday voice
But be the usual selves that I have known
Weep if you must
Parting is hell
But life goes on
So sing as well.
Joyce Grenfell