Meconopsis for Gardeners: the Lure of the Blue Poppy

To be scrupulously honest, over twenty years ago, I drank the blue poppy Kool-Aid. I was intoxicated, and have pursued this holy grail of plants ever since. This review therefore is biased. I am under the spell of this legendary plant of superb color and known transitory nature. It thrills and then is, in most cases, gone forever. Well, until the next quest and trial.

So the chance to revel in 384 pages devoted to the blue poppy is pure joy. What does this volume reveal? Christopher Grey-Wilson is well known for his past works on Meconopsis. In this book he has made full use of the expertise of The Meconopsis Group and The Alpine Garden Society in the United Kingdom. This is a trove of information from expert researchers, growers and enthusiasts of the genus. It is a connoisseur’s handbook and a very detailed guide for the aspiring Meconopsis grower.

The photos are enticingly beautiful. They are morphologically detailed, illuminating the subtle species differences, aiding in identification, which helps define suitable habitats and growing requirements. For the novice, the photos show the variety of colors beyond the outstanding sapphire blues of Meconopsis ‘Lingholm’ or M. gakyidiana. It’s a revelation to see the fancy jewel-tone colors of pinks, purples, double yellows and the aptly named white Meconopsis superba. Go straight to page 168 to see the Meconopsis ‘Kilbryde Castle White,’ which will shatter your image of poppies, with its white petals streaked with fine blue brush strokes reminiscent of an Andrew Wyeth painting.

This book has so much: genetics, exact cultivation techniques (in very handy boxed bullet points), suggested siting, legends and lore of the early poppy hunters to excite your thirst, and excellent descriptions of great gardens and nurseries worldwide where poppy cultivation flourishes…places one might visit. Oh dear.

You can’t read this book cover to cover. Dip in. Sip. Savor. It’s very fine.

Published in the January 2018 Leaflet Volume 5, Issue 1.