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Mousetoescamper

(6,400 posts)
Sun Mar 30, 2025, 09:42 AM Mar 2025

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
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Himalayan blue-poppies (Original Post) Mousetoescamper Mar 2025 OP
Gorgeous blue treasures! I bet they fed your soul! lark Mar 2025 #1
Thanks, Lark! Yes, they are inspirational! Mousetoescamper Mar 2025 #9
Gorgeous! SheltieLover Mar 2025 #2
Thanks and you're welcome, SheltieLover! Mousetoescamper Mar 2025 #10
Those are beautiful! 2naSalit Mar 2025 #3
Thanks, 2naSalit! Mousetoescamper Mar 2025 #13
Thank you! 2naSalit Mar 2025 #48
Absolutely amazing! Diamond_Dog Mar 2025 #4
Thanks, Diamond_Dog! Mousetoescamper Mar 2025 #14
Gorgerous, Mousetoes! brer cat Mar 2025 #5
Thanks, brer cat! Mousetoescamper Mar 2025 #15
Gorgeous!! MayReasonRule Mar 2025 #6
Thanks, MayReasonRule! Mousetoescamper Mar 2025 #17
These are soooo lovely! CrispyQ Mar 2025 #7
Lithodora and Iris Zackzzzz Mar 2025 #16
Those names sound like a couple of 18th century witches. CrispyQ Mar 2025 #45
Thanks, CrispyQ! Mousetoescamper Mar 2025 #18
OOOOh! murielm99 Mar 2025 #8
Thanks, murielm99! Mousetoescamper Mar 2025 #19
I've tried several times to grow them Figarosmom Mar 2025 #11
Temperature would be the most difficult condition to control Mousetoescamper Mar 2025 #21
Yeah the last time i tried i figured Figarosmom Mar 2025 #37
Before I saw the replies, "georgeous" was the Ilsa Mar 2025 #12
Thanks, Ilsa! Mousetoescamper Mar 2025 #22
Gorgeous! Easterncedar Mar 2025 #20
Thanks, Easterncedar! Mousetoescamper Mar 2025 #23
I am hoping to go to Longwood in 3 weeks Easterncedar Mar 2025 #24
If the opportunity presents, Chanticleer is also worth a visit. Collimator Mar 2025 #27
Chanticleer is a little gem! Dark n Stormy Knight Mar 2025 #38
My master gardener travel companion now hopes we can visit Chanticleer too! Easterncedar Mar 2025 #53
I'd been hearing how Chanticleer was an absolute must see Dark n Stormy Knight Apr 2025 #54
Thank you! Easterncedar Apr 2025 #55
They bloom for 10-14 days Mousetoescamper Mar 2025 #30
The pistils look like golden fireworks Easterncedar Mar 2025 #32
Just bought seeds for these lynnyl Mar 2025 #25
Keep us posted homegirl Mar 2025 #29
I wish you great success! Mousetoescamper Mar 2025 #33
Stunning radical noodle Mar 2025 #26
Thanks, radical noodle! Mousetoescamper Mar 2025 #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 2025 #28
Congratulations on getting the blooms! As others here have confirmed, they're difficult to cultivate. Mousetoescamper Mar 2025 #35
So beautiful! Hope22 Mar 2025 #31
Thanks, Hope22! Mousetoescamper Mar 2025 #36
Wow, my dear Mousetoescamper! Gorgeous, breathtaking, amazing, etc etc etc! CaliforniaPeggy Mar 2025 #39
Thanks, Peggy! Mousetoescamper Mar 2025 #42
So pretty. applegrove Mar 2025 #40
Thanks, applegrove! Mousetoescamper Mar 2025 #43
Now THERE is what we can call "love at first sight"! calimary Mar 2025 #41
Indeed! Mousetoescamper Mar 2025 #44
Beautiful photos, amazing blooms. I love Longwood Gardens. Walleye Mar 2025 #46
Thanks, Walleye! Mousetoescamper Mar 2025 #47
Beautiful! Thank you FemDemERA Mar 2025 #49
Thanks and you're welcome, FemDemERA! Mousetoescamper Mar 2025 #50
Thanks for bringing the beauty of the world to us. Looks similar to our hibiscus down here. 🌺 Deuxcents Mar 2025 #51
Thanks and you're welcome, Deuxcents! Mousetoescamper Mar 2025 #52

lark

(25,214 posts)
1. Gorgeous blue treasures! I bet they fed your soul!
Sun Mar 30, 2025, 09:45 AM
Mar 2025

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

(6,400 posts)
13. Thanks, 2naSalit!
Sun Mar 30, 2025, 11:21 AM
Mar 2025

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

(97,309 posts)
48. Thank you!
Sun Mar 30, 2025, 04:22 PM
Mar 2025

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

(6,400 posts)
17. Thanks, MayReasonRule!
Sun Mar 30, 2025, 11:30 AM
Mar 2025

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

(39,957 posts)
45. Those names sound like a couple of 18th century witches.
Sun Mar 30, 2025, 01:02 PM
Mar 2025


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

(6,810 posts)
37. Yeah the last time i tried i figured
Sun Mar 30, 2025, 12:05 PM
Mar 2025

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

Ilsa

(63,027 posts)
12. Before I saw the replies, "georgeous" was the
Sun Mar 30, 2025, 11:17 AM
Mar 2025

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

Easterncedar

(4,705 posts)
20. Gorgeous!
Sun Mar 30, 2025, 11:35 AM
Mar 2025

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

Collimator

(1,942 posts)
27. If the opportunity presents, Chanticleer is also worth a visit.
Sun Mar 30, 2025, 11:51 AM
Mar 2025

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

(10,408 posts)
38. Chanticleer is a little gem!
Sun Mar 30, 2025, 12:12 PM
Mar 2025

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

(10,408 posts)
54. I'd been hearing how Chanticleer was an absolute must see
Wed Apr 2, 2025, 03:36 PM
Apr 2025

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 2025

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

homegirl

(1,791 posts)
29. Keep us posted
Sun Mar 30, 2025, 11:55 AM
Mar 2025

on progress and results.

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

Bumbles

(401 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 2025

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

(6,400 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 2025

CaliforniaPeggy

(154,470 posts)
39. Wow, my dear Mousetoescamper! Gorgeous, breathtaking, amazing, etc etc etc!
Sun Mar 30, 2025, 12:14 PM
Mar 2025

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

(6,400 posts)
42. Thanks, Peggy!
Sun Mar 30, 2025, 12:30 PM
Mar 2025

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

(23,012 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 2025

The blue is so unique..just lovely

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