Papaver orientale cultivars

[Hans J]

Hi all ,

here are some pics of flowering Papaver orientale cultivars from our garden in this time .

But I have to confess : thats not my collection ! .....
...I have only the permission from my better half to make pics .....

The most of this plants are bougth from the nursery of Graefin von Zeppelin ( which is famous for his Papaver breedings )

P. orientale 'Halima'
P. orientale 'Black & White' ( from a english nursery )
P. orientale 'Helen von Stein' ( this was the founder of this nursery )
P. orientale 'Marlene'
P. orientale 'Tuerkenlouis'
P. orientale 'Patty's Plum'
P. orientale 'Beauty of Livermere' ( I believe this is a english breeding)

[Joakim B]

Nice ones Hans
Congratulate Your better half.
They do have some similarities in the flower with peonies do they not. Both strong colours and nice big flowers.

Kind regards
Joakim

[David Nicholson]

I see that you allow your better-half a little space in the garden Hans!

[Hans J]

David ,

yes I'm really generous
the advantage of Papaver orientale is it is for a long time a small plant - only before flowering it need room ....

[Lesley Cox]

Lovely flowers Hans. I'm especially thrilled to see 'Patty's Plum' which I've wanted ever since seeing it at Hadspen House years ago. I have a small plant now but not flowered yet. Maybe this next summer.

[Maggi Young]

Great to have you back enjoying the flowers in the Forum, Lesley!

For myself, I think it is very kind of Frau Joschko to allow Hans the space for his  peonies!
There is a great similarity in the blooms which must make a lovely combination with the two flowers in the garden. With so many of the alpine plants we grow having such tiny plants and flowers it is somehow so exciting to have these big, showgirl blossoms to lead us into summer.

[Hans J]

Lesley : Yes P. 'Patty's Plum' is nice ....but a bit difficould with combination with other plants ...

Maggi : Psssst ......you must not tell all secrets 

Here is a link to this nursery :
http://www.graefin-v-zeppelin.com/

but here is a warning : it is really danger do visit this nursery when all the Papavers ,Peonies ,Iris .....and more are flowering 

[Paul T]

Hans,

What sort of conditions do your Papaver orientale get in your garden.  I struggle with them here, but I think it is due to being too dry.  I see large plants flowering in older gardens around Canberra, but I struggle to get mine to any size and they tend to dwindle away.  I have a couple that are still struggling on.  I am thinking that perhaps here I am just not able to keep the water up to them sufficiently the first couple of years to get them established.  Once they're large they need no care at all, but I never can get them to that stage. 

I hope you don't mind me asking, but I thought this was the ideal place to start a discussion on growing conditions they need.  I adore them in flower, and am mortified each time one dies.  I no longer buy them because I am aware it is likely to be a death sentence! 

[mark smyth]

Breeders need to create a poppy that will hold it's flowers for a long time

[Hans J]

Hans,

What sort of conditions do your Papaver orientale get in your garden.  I struggle with them here, but I think it is due to being too dry.  I see large plants flowering in older gardens around Canberra, but I struggle to get mine to any size and they tend to dwindle away.  I have a couple that are still struggling on.  I am thinking that perhaps here I am just not able to keep the water up to them sufficiently the first couple of years to get them established.  Once they're large they need no care at all, but I never can get them to that stage. 

I hope you don't mind me asking, but I thought this was the ideal place to start a discussion on growing conditions they need.  I adore them in flower, and am mortified each time one dies.  I no longer buy them because I am aware it is likely to be a death sentence! 

Hi Paul ,

They are easy in my garden -I grow it in sunny place between my peonies and iris -my soil is calcy and I have never watered . Please realize this plants comes from hot and dry areas -so this should be not a problem ....
I water this plants always only after planting -thats all . In some weeks the leaves will get down and later they emerge again ....
Like my peonies I give them a good drainage.

Maybe are not all breedings well -you should test old established ....

Sorry -but I have not a really good idea what could be your problem..

[Paul T]

Hans,

Thanks.  I was afraid you were going to say something like that.  Drainage isn't a problem in the garden's I've had them, although I had wondered at times whether there was too much drainage there.  I thought that they came from a dry area but wondered whether they had a lot of rain while in growth, but dry while dormant?  I've probably had a dozen named varieties over the years but only have about 3 left, if they come up again this year of course.

Thanks again.

[johnw]

I visited a friend's garden today and she was not too happy with the colour of Patty's Plum.  I rather like it and told her she just needs to combine it with the right colours.  Hans touched on this predicament several postings ago. So she asked me "with what".  I was stumped but suggested nice lime or mint green flowers recalling G S Thomas' suggestions on combining magenta rhododendrons with green flowers. "So what would that be?" she asked. She had me.  Any suggestions out there or of other colour combinations?

johnw

[Lesley Cox]

There are plenty lime or sea-green euphorbias to fill the bill, the annual E. lathyris among them, or myrsinites at PP's base, or stricta or a dozen others, including the purply foliaged E. dulcis 'Chameleon' and a new NZ hybrid called 'Tui' if you can get it. It's a hybrid or selection of E.amygdalloides 'Rubra' and has very dark plummy red/black foliage. PP also looks great with the red/pewter leaved heucheras and globe artichokes with good grey leaves. I have the red-leaved grass Imperata cylindrica near my PP. Likewise, bold., blue-leaved hostas. I think several plants of similar colouring enhance each other and reinforce the colour, also helping to prevent a spotty look. I love the "grubby" colour of PP.