Poppy Gardens

Poppy gardens, and having poppies in your garden, have become increasingly popular over time. In large part this is due to how resistant the poppy plant is to disease and pests, and how little care is really needed to help it thrive. In fact, the poppy is so easy to maintain and care for that you can almost plant it, and then forget about it. However, there are a few things that you should be aware of before you begin planting any poppy gardens. Some of these things are as simple as where and when you should plant your poppies, while others are as important as what types of poppies you should avoid at all costs. These guidelines can help you with that.

• Choose for color. One of the amazing things about the poppy is that there are so many different colors for you to choose from. In fact, there are so many different colorations of poppies that you could literally have your entire garden made out of just one variant of the poppy plant, as long as it came in different colors. Choose colors that will work well with the other plants you have in your garden, and that will work well within any existing color scheme that you may have. If you do not currently have a color scheme, then use the variety of the poppy to help you decide.
• Be careful of the type. When selecting the type of poppy that you want to plant in your garden, you need to be fairly careful. The reason for this is that there is one type that you should avoid at all costs. This particular type of poppy will have the word "opium" somewhere in its name. Generally speaking, these subtypes of the poppy plant are illegal to grow in the United States, and you could face some serious legal charges if you are found to be growing them. Stick with varieties like Mexican, Oriental, and scarlet poppies.
• Plant in the proper season. If you are growing poppies from seeds, then you want to make sure that you plant them in the proper season. The proper season for planting your poppies will be in the late fall, and early winter. The reason for this is that poppies generally will be blooming in the early spring. If you are transplanting poppies, then you want to do this a couple of weeks after the last frost of the season. One word of caution though, avoid transplanting poppies if at all possible. They do not handle this very well, and this is an instance where extra care will be needed to ensure that they survive.
• Plant appropriately. Poppies absolutely love the sunlight, and should be planted in areas that will receive plenty of sunlight. Prepare your soil by tilling the area a couple of days before planting, and ensure that the soil is moist.