jillraggett:

Plant of the Day
Tuesday 10 June 2014

Eschscholzia californica, California poppies form a river of colour in the a Theodore Payne Garden at Moulton College, Northampton. Payne (1872 – 1963) was born locally to the College and travelled to the USA in 1893 from where he introduced a range of Californian plants and set up a plant nursery. The garden was made by enthusiastic students and staff – what a great result of research and practical skills.

Eschscholzia californica forms a vigorous spreading annual with finely divided blue-green leaves and normally orange, yellow or red flowers. In the foreground the low growing deep blue/purple flowers are Sissyrinchium bellum and the taller light blue flowers with the dark eye are Gilia tricolor – both from California.

Jill Raggett