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Mousetoescamper

(6,039 posts)
Sun Mar 30, 2025, 09:42 AM Mar 30

Himalayan blue-poppies

I visited Longwood Gardens in Kennett Square, PA, yesterday to photograph the annual display of blue-poppies (Meconopsis ‘Lingholm’). The poppies are native to the Himalayan mountains and require cool temperatures and specific soil conditions to bloom. Longwood is the first garden to cultivate them on a large scale for indoor display.

















55 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Himalayan blue-poppies (Original Post) Mousetoescamper Mar 30 OP
Gorgeous blue treasures! I bet they fed your soul! lark Mar 30 #1
Thanks, Lark! Yes, they are inspirational! Mousetoescamper Mar 30 #9
Gorgeous! SheltieLover Mar 30 #2
Thanks and you're welcome, SheltieLover! Mousetoescamper Mar 30 #10
Those are beautiful! 2naSalit Mar 30 #3
Thanks, 2naSalit! Mousetoescamper Mar 30 #13
Thank you! 2naSalit Mar 30 #48
Absolutely amazing! Diamond_Dog Mar 30 #4
Thanks, Diamond_Dog! Mousetoescamper Mar 30 #14
Gorgerous, Mousetoes! brer cat Mar 30 #5
Thanks, brer cat! Mousetoescamper Mar 30 #15
Gorgeous!! MayReasonRule Mar 30 #6
Thanks, MayReasonRule! Mousetoescamper Mar 30 #17
These are soooo lovely! CrispyQ Mar 30 #7
Lithodora and Iris Zackzzzz Mar 30 #16
Those names sound like a couple of 18th century witches. CrispyQ Mar 30 #45
Thanks, CrispyQ! Mousetoescamper Mar 30 #18
OOOOh! murielm99 Mar 30 #8
Thanks, murielm99! Mousetoescamper Mar 30 #19
I've tried several times to grow them Figarosmom Mar 30 #11
Temperature would be the most difficult condition to control Mousetoescamper Mar 30 #21
Yeah the last time i tried i figured Figarosmom Mar 30 #37
Before I saw the replies, "georgeous" was the Ilsa Mar 30 #12
Thanks, Ilsa! Mousetoescamper Mar 30 #22
Gorgeous! Easterncedar Mar 30 #20
Thanks, Easterncedar! Mousetoescamper Mar 30 #23
I am hoping to go to Longwood in 3 weeks Easterncedar Mar 30 #24
If the opportunity presents, Chanticleer is also worth a visit. Collimator Mar 30 #27
Chanticleer is a little gem! Dark n Stormy Knight Mar 30 #38
My master gardener travel companion now hopes we can visit Chanticleer too! Easterncedar Mar 31 #53
I'd been hearing how Chanticleer was an absolute must see Dark n Stormy Knight Wednesday #54
Thank you! Easterncedar Wednesday #55
They bloom for 10-14 days Mousetoescamper Mar 30 #30
The pistils look like golden fireworks Easterncedar Mar 30 #32
Just bought seeds for these lynnyl Mar 30 #25
Keep us posted homegirl Mar 30 #29
I wish you great success! Mousetoescamper Mar 30 #33
Stunning radical noodle Mar 30 #26
Thanks, radical noodle! Mousetoescamper Mar 30 #34
I treasured one that I was able to grow in my Maine garden, looking for its curled stem to begin to elongate Bumbles Mar 30 #28
Congratulations on getting the blooms! As others here have confirmed, they're difficult to cultivate. Mousetoescamper Mar 30 #35
So beautiful! Hope22 Mar 30 #31
Thanks, Hope22! Mousetoescamper Mar 30 #36
Wow, my dear Mousetoescamper! Gorgeous, breathtaking, amazing, etc etc etc! CaliforniaPeggy Mar 30 #39
Thanks, Peggy! Mousetoescamper Mar 30 #42
So pretty. applegrove Mar 30 #40
Thanks, applegrove! Mousetoescamper Mar 30 #43
Now THERE is what we can call "love at first sight"! calimary Mar 30 #41
Indeed! Mousetoescamper Mar 30 #44
Beautiful photos, amazing blooms. I love Longwood Gardens. Walleye Mar 30 #46
Thanks, Walleye! Mousetoescamper Mar 30 #47
Beautiful! Thank you FemDemERA Mar 30 #49
Thanks and you're welcome, FemDemERA! Mousetoescamper Mar 30 #50
Thanks for bringing the beauty of the world to us. Looks similar to our hibiscus down here. 🌺 Deuxcents Mar 30 #51
Thanks and you're welcome, Deuxcents! Mousetoescamper Mar 30 #52

lark

(24,806 posts)
1. Gorgeous blue treasures! I bet they fed your soul!
Sun Mar 30, 2025, 09:45 AM
Mar 30

I felt that way after visting the Cummer gardens this week - full of joy for nature and how plants overcome the adversity of our storms and still bloom on!

Mousetoescamper

(6,039 posts)
13. Thanks, 2naSalit!
Sun Mar 30, 2025, 11:21 AM
Mar 30

I don't have any good photos of the whole plant, but this might do. There's a closeup of the two blooms in the set above.

2naSalit

(96,317 posts)
48. Thank you!
Sun Mar 30, 2025, 04:22 PM
Mar 30

This picture is sufficient since there are several of them which provides multiple angles. I like to see the leaf/stem structure of the plant.

Nice little garden patch!

Mousetoescamper

(6,039 posts)
17. Thanks, MayReasonRule!
Sun Mar 30, 2025, 11:30 AM
Mar 30

I highly recommend that you visit the garden! Last week Longwood was named Best Botanical Garden in the U.S. by USA TODAY’s 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards.

CrispyQ

(39,398 posts)
45. Those names sound like a couple of 18th century witches.
Sun Mar 30, 2025, 01:02 PM
Mar 30


I hadn't heard of Lithodora. It's very pretty. My grandfather grew delphinium, which I love, but IIRC he put a lot of work into them. There's a farm down the road with the most gorgeous morning glories, coming soon! There's a whole long fence of it.

When it comes to blue though, I'm no snob & I like dyed carnations, too.

Figarosmom

(5,085 posts)
37. Yeah the last time i tried i figured
Sun Mar 30, 2025, 12:05 PM
Mar 30

I had a nice deckled shady place on the north side of the house. Soil may not have been acidic enough.

Ilsa

(62,676 posts)
12. Before I saw the replies, "georgeous" was the
Sun Mar 30, 2025, 11:17 AM
Mar 30

first adjective that came to me. Stunning would be another.

Easterncedar

(4,171 posts)
20. Gorgeous!
Sun Mar 30, 2025, 11:35 AM
Mar 30

I have been intrigued by these for decades, and finally saw them blooming in April in the English garden in Yokohama.

Collimator

(1,886 posts)
27. If the opportunity presents, Chanticleer is also worth a visit.
Sun Mar 30, 2025, 11:51 AM
Mar 30

Hope that I don't sound obnoxious; I know that I bring up Chanticleer in Wayne, PA when someone else brings up Longwood.

Not trying to make it a competition, but Chanticleer is less well known, so I like to spread the word.

Dark n Stormy Knight

(10,290 posts)
38. Chanticleer is a little gem!
Sun Mar 30, 2025, 12:12 PM
Mar 30

Great pix of Longwoods blue poppies! Thanks for sharing.

We're members of Chanticleer & Longwood (and Winterthur) and have not been to any of them in weeks!

Visited Chanticleer for a preview day a few weeks ago. Must make time for all three this week!

Dark n Stormy Knight

(10,290 posts)
54. I'd been hearing how Chanticleer was an absolute must see
Wed Apr 2, 2025, 03:36 PM
Wednesday

from my Master Gardener buddy (my buddy who is one, that is. I'm not!) for years before I got it together to go. Finally, about 6 years ago, I managed to make it. My husband & I have been members every year since then!

It's about an hour drive for us, so we don't get there as often as we'd like, but it's always worth the drive when we can fit it in!

I hope you get there this Spring, which is always spectacular. But any time during their open season is a joy.

lynnyl

(6 posts)
25. Just bought seeds for these
Sun Mar 30, 2025, 11:45 AM
Mar 30

Will have to research carefully how to grow them. Have a collection of blue and almost blue perrenials around my yard.

homegirl

(1,691 posts)
29. Keep us posted
Sun Mar 30, 2025, 11:55 AM
Mar 30

on progress and results.

I am curious if they can be grown indoors-without green house conditions.

Bumbles

(358 posts)
28. I treasured one that I was able to grow in my Maine garden, looking for its curled stem to begin to elongate
Sun Mar 30, 2025, 11:54 AM
Mar 30

and rise above the cool soil. The most I got was two blooms each spring. Then the slugs found it despite my having salted the ground with sluggo.

Mousetoescamper

(6,039 posts)
35. Congratulations on getting the blooms! As others here have confirmed, they're difficult to cultivate.
Sun Mar 30, 2025, 12:03 PM
Mar 30

CaliforniaPeggy

(153,379 posts)
39. Wow, my dear Mousetoescamper! Gorgeous, breathtaking, amazing, etc etc etc!
Sun Mar 30, 2025, 12:14 PM
Mar 30

I've never heard of them before. I don't think they would work here; it's too warm.

How lucky you are to have them there and in such numbers!

Mousetoescamper

(6,039 posts)
42. Thanks, Peggy!
Sun Mar 30, 2025, 12:30 PM
Mar 30

I've been to Longwood many times over the past seven or so years, but this was the first time I planned my visit to coincide with the blooming of the blue-poppies. They bloom for only 10-14 days and are done until the following March.

Deuxcents

(21,644 posts)
51. Thanks for bringing the beauty of the world to us. Looks similar to our hibiscus down here. 🌺
Sun Mar 30, 2025, 07:36 PM
Mar 30

The blue is so unique..just lovely

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