What kind of poppys?
Linda C

Well, I didn't start this thread but I have red corn poppies, peony poppies, and opium poppies and lately I've been wondering the same thing.

Shoot. What kind...I'm doing this from memory. I have three seed packets. "Mission poppies," "Shirley," and something else...maybe just a CA mix. All three are SUPPOSED to be able to bloom first year. The packs contain multiple colors. Tips? Thank you!

I have poppies in several spots of my wildflower-y driveway bed and I'm holding back some of my brown-eyed susan plants in pots so when the poppy foliage fades I can just slap those in there to fill up the gap.

I think cosmos would work well for that too.

Kristin

I always grow larkspur with poppies. Mine are blooming now but here we sow the seeds in the fall for spring bloom.

i have california poppy's mixed in with shasta daisy and it's so pretty..didn't plan it that way..

Peony poppies and shirley poppies are annuals, and therefore, should bloom this year. I've wintersown and direct sown both types, they're very easy. Interplanting with cosmos, as one post mentioned, is a good idea. I may interplant with zinnias this year. I can't recall if the foliage dies out after blooming with the annual poppies, but you can pull it out, if it doesn't die back. Oriental poppies foliage does die back after blooming, I think. I started some orientals from seed last year, somewhere I read they can take a couple of years to bloom well, so I don't know if they'll flower this year, but they are certainly very healthy and growing quickly. ( Don't pull out the oriental foliage after blooming, obviously.) Last year, I grew red peony poppies that were just beautiful, huge, pure red very double flowers. I wish I had saved some of the seed, as I can't get it any more. This year, I have mixed colors started, that's fun too, seeing what colors you end up with. Shirley poppies are nice too, I haven't tried iceland poppies yet, but I may get a packet of seed and start them too. I love poppies, they're so easy to grow, and come in such beautiful colors.