Photography
Related: About this forumHimalayan 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.

lark
(24,779 posts)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
(5,991 posts)
SheltieLover
(65,799 posts)Ty for sharing.
Mousetoescamper
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2naSalit
(96,279 posts)Do you have a picture of the whole plant?
Mousetoescamper
(5,991 posts)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
(96,279 posts)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!
Diamond_Dog
(36,473 posts)I never heard of blue poppies before. Your photos of them are gorgeous!
Mousetoescamper
(5,991 posts)
brer cat
(26,880 posts)Mousetoescamper
(5,991 posts)
MayReasonRule
(2,906 posts)I and my honey would love to visit Longwood sometime in the near future!
Mousetoescamper
(5,991 posts)I highly recommend that you visit the garden! Last week Longwood was named Best Botanical Garden in the U.S. by USA TODAYs 10Best Readers Choice Awards.
CrispyQ
(39,374 posts)Someday I would love to have a bouquet of all blue flowers.
Zackzzzz
(50 posts)I have had success with these.
CrispyQ
(39,374 posts)
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.


Mousetoescamper
(5,991 posts)
murielm99
(31,805 posts)
Mousetoescamper
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Figarosmom
(5,042 posts)Never got it right. They are incredibly finicky.
Mousetoescamper
(5,991 posts)Figarosmom
(5,042 posts)I had a nice deckled shady place on the north side of the house. Soil may not have been acidic enough.
Ilsa
(62,667 posts)first adjective that came to me. Stunning would be another.
Mousetoescamper
(5,991 posts)
Easterncedar
(4,152 posts)I have been intrigued by these for decades, and finally saw them blooming in April in the English garden in Yokohama.
Mousetoescamper
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Easterncedar
(4,152 posts)Next time I will have to time my visit to see these.
Collimator
(1,885 posts)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)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!
Easterncedar
(4,152 posts)Thanks!
Dark n Stormy Knight
(10,290 posts)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.
Easterncedar
(4,152 posts)I love this community. Such serendipitous connections.
Mousetoescamper
(5,991 posts)Easterncedar
(4,152 posts)lynnyl
(6 posts)Will have to research carefully how to grow them. Have a collection of blue and almost blue perrenials around my yard.
homegirl
(1,686 posts)on progress and results.
I am curious if they can be grown indoors-without green house conditions.
Mousetoescamper
(5,991 posts)
radical noodle
(9,788 posts)Love the bits of purple peeking through the blue.
Mousetoescamper
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Bumbles
(356 posts)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
(5,991 posts)
Hope22
(3,813 posts)Those blues just make me want to dive right in!💙💙💙💙
Mousetoescamper
(5,991 posts)
CaliforniaPeggy
(153,357 posts)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
(5,991 posts)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.
applegrove
(125,427 posts)Mousetoescamper
(5,991 posts)
calimary
(85,690 posts)


Mousetoescamper
(5,991 posts)Thanks, calimary!
Walleye
(39,254 posts)
Mousetoescamper
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FemDemERA
(483 posts)For sharing!
Mousetoescamper
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Deuxcents
(21,593 posts)The blue is so unique..just lovely
Mousetoescamper
(5,991 posts)