On the way back from Scarborough on Friday we passed a couple of fields full of poppies. They may have been growing organic grain, or they may just have forgotten to spray. I don’t suppose it matters in the end, because it was the poppies, not the husbandry system that I was interested in.
I’ve been looking for some good shots of poppies for a month or so now, since deciding on the Big Autumn Project. From that you may deduce that we are going to be doing something on poppies.
Did you know that poppy seed can lay dormant for over 50 years? Some people go as far as to claim 80 or 90 years and it’s recently become popular to suggest they may be able to lay dormant for 100 years. I can believe that; there isn’t a lot of difference between 80, 90 and 100 years. Of course, the figure of 100 years lines up nicely with the centenary of the Great War, and this may have more to do with the 100 year figure than any botanical fact.
Despite this suspicion it’s interesting to think that poppies may be germinating now that were laid down as seeds whilst the war was still on.
Anyway, here are some photographs. The light was just going and the wind was getting up, so they aren’t brilliant, but at least the Big Autumn Project will have some photographs to support it. Julia has promised to do a bit of messing about with the photos – they won’t look sharper but they will end up looking brighter.
I have seen quite a few poppy fields this year. I wondered whether it was mere chance or if there was some plan behind it all.
I haven’t seen many – but you never do when you want one do you?
Sad but true.
Good pattern shots
I look to you for my inspiration. 😉
Pleased to assist a good lensman
Thanks Derrick. (I missed this comment when you made it – hence late answer.
I can’t remember where I heard this but I recently learned that poppies seeds which were still viable were found in a pharaoh’s tomb.
That is impressive, both in terms of germination and in terms of high-powered trivia knowledge! 😉