|
In 2007 Water Meadow Nursery were asked if one of their Papaver Super poppy Hybrids could be named "The Falklands" in commemoration of the 25th Anniversary of the Falklands Conflict.
Their website www.plantaholic.co.uk takes up the story " we had just the right poppy. It's a beauty & one of the best so far. It's a bright glossy petalled red, with deeply cut serrated edged in a clear, clean red.
The poppy was launched at the Chelsea Flower Show in 2008 and attracted quite a crowd to the Flights of Fantasy stand, owned by Russel Bowley. TV presenter and visitor to the Falklands Alan Titchmarch gave the poppy a mention on Press day to BBC viewers which resulted in a flurry of phone calls from gardeners wanting to order the plant.
The poppy is a Charity Poppy with a royalty from every plant sold going to the Falklands Veterans Foundation and SAMA.
Seven plants were sent to the Falklands with the returning pilgrims in November 2007 and as can be seen in the photographs are thriving in their new home.
The 'Super Poppies' are a new inter specific hybrid form of perennial poppy. They were originally created & bred in the U.S.A. by Mr James DeWelt from a breeding programme of crossing Papaver atlanticum, californicum, rupifragrum, somniferum & orientale /bracteatum, which took over thirty years to achieve.
|
