The Cabbage

 

I nicknamed the opium poppy which has taken over the perennial bed in the back garden "the cabbage". This is just one plant that is five feet high and a mass of peony like flowers. The correct name is Papaver somniferum var. paeoniflorum but opium poppies come in many colours, shapes and sizes they also have many names too :- 

carnation poppy
dream plant
fairy's charms
flower of Venus
Joan silver pin
John's silver pin
marble flower
maw seed
moonflower
opium
peony poppy
sweet slumber
white poppy

Astrantia Buckland

 

Astrantia major 'Buckland'- my favourite of the Astrantias with it's pale pink, green and white star-like flowers. 

Anemone

 Familiarity doesn’t always breed contempt. You will certainly be familiar with the poppy-like flowers of the Anemone coronaria 'De Caen',

Erysimum linifolium 'Stars and Stripes'

 

A perennial wallflower with variegated foliage, Erysimum linifolium 'Stars and Stripes' we bought from Bodnant in December, it survived the harsh winter well and is a mass of flowers at the start of June.

 

Deep purple buds open to maroon flowers, changing colour to red and orange as they mature. Beautiful colour from late winter to early summer.