backyardee

Meconopsis (Himalayan Blue Poppy)

Lisa j, Next time you try to grow them from seed, Try the fridge treatment. 1 month in, 1 month out.

Alinaw. Thankyou for your link. I was interested to see that they can be annual, biennial or perennial. But I can assure you the ones I have are perennial and flower from year 2 and usually continue for several years. Increasing the number of blooms as they mature. But then I have collected my own seed for years. So before the introduction of new varieties that produced shorter living plants, they were termed as difficult perennials. I am interested in the trials they are now doing on the Meconopsis as Harlow Carr and await with slightly baited breath at the results in 2013. 

Would anyone know what plant this is?

Look svery similar to Crinum x powellii, nice looking too.

Grass seeding steep bank

Just an idea, but you could make your own. Jumbo trays with a few holes in, compost and soil with some sort of mesh part buried, then seeded. That's gonna be some job to mow that. 

Gunnera

This one is growing in our peat bog, and is in such an area, that not only sucks your wellies off but eats them too. I was doubtful that it would live at our altitude, but boy it just loves it. It's root is always in water.  But I visited Aberglasney last year. Theirs was in moist soil but not wet. Shame really, it was fighting with all sorts of weeds, from nettles and dock to goose grass. But theirs seemed happy.

Meconopsis (Himalayan Blue Poppy)

MMMMMM. ok.

That's why they are listed as perennials, they flower every year from the same crown. They don't always produce flowers in the first year. But as they 'mature' they produce more flower heads per stem.

baleyi is reference to Capt. Bailey plant finder early 1900's.

betonicifolia   reference to betony like leaves.

But you can treat them as annuals if you like............................

Slugs

i must admit if I find the odd one in the garden near the road, I throw them over the hedge for them to hitch their own lift. But otherwise, I tend to leave them to the duck community I have, that seeks out the thugs and enjoys every morsel.

Meconopsis (Himalayan Blue Poppy)

I am often losing them due to the couch grass that invades the borders, that is the problem with turning a paddock into a garden. and not wanting to re turf the whole lot. but i always propagate from collected seed. so i am never without.

Perennials not growing

Depends on your location. My delphs and phlox are actually already up this year, but that was due to heat wave in March. Other years the delphs would only be showing their location, whereas the echinacea and phlox may not be sprouting yet.  My echinacea are just breaking the soil. But as i'm 1000' up, things are slower here to say hello, but quicker to cheerio.

Meconopsis (Himalayan Blue Poppy)

I had 4 plants in a similar space in a shady border, but sadly last year had to dig them up as couch grass had invaded the root balls. They don't like disturbance and i lost the lot. I have now replaced with seeds I grew myself a couple of years ago. The only problem will be that they like a little moisture but not be soggy. They like to be shaded and not too exposed. And for a success rate, don't let them flower in their first year.

Slugs

Never had luck with egg shells, don't use coffee grinds, and grit or sand alone never worked. I mix up a 50 : 50 with very fine grit and garlic granules. then to add extra oomph, I unravel a copper scourer and place in a circle around the plants. Works a treat for me. Not had a hosta or cabbage / lettuce chomped since.