Poppy 'Amazing Grey'

Poppy 'Amazing Grey'

This is one of my personal favourite annuals – a new, easy-to-grow poppy that has proved popular for its unique colouring.

This poppy is a fairly new discovery and the seed strain has been developed within the last few years. It's related to the common field poppy but has beautiful mauve-grey flowers.

The flowers are very variable:

• some flowers are single, some double, some semi-double
• there are variations in colour from soft greys through subtle pinks to plum purples
• some flowers have crinkled petals while other have smoother petals.

If this poppy self-seeds it often comes back as a slightly different colour the year after, including reverting to closer to its wild reddish colour, or with more crimson showing through.

It's a hardy annual so I sowed mine in early spring – some in a pot and some scattered through the border. They've come up around the edges, but not in the middle because they've either been crowded out or mulched out.

• They're easy to grow and flower about 8 or 9 weeks after sowing.

If you can get hold of the seed, I'd really recommend this poppy.

Fat buds nod downwards and then gradually lift upwards and open, which is fascinating to watch. They're utterly beautiful and I love them.