May in the backyard


Each year after the tulips these poppies arise, tall and brazen, tilting in different directions on their fuzzy stems. A surprise after the compact and organized tulips which even in scattered spots seem under control. The poppies here are redder than the photo shows and a brief web search on poppies reveals how many varieties and colors exist. They get a bad rap from the opium trade but websites suggest that poppies have a devoted following among gardeners. My poppies have come back for nearly ten years now and probably before that when another family lived here. Their many-branched and fuzzy leaves creep into the cracks of concrete wall, ready to expand on the level below. They collapse when cut and do not survive in a vase. After blooming a bulbous pod remains. It is a long wait until next year.

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