A lovely pink form of Meconopsis 'napaulensis' at its best before any flowers have dropped. These wonderful pinks are garden hybrids and almost certainly derive from collections by the Stainton, Sykes and Williams expedition to the Himalayas some years ago.

Another Cypripedium coming into flower. This is the British native (just) C. calceolus and the plant was propagated in a flask which can now be done for Cypripediums and hopefully will take the pressure off the illegal digging of this genus in the wild.

There are many named varieties of the big blue poppies - many sterile hybrids and some fertile. This plant, which I still grow, was photographed in the Edinburgh Botanic Gardens. I used to call it Miss Jebbs but I was later corrected and it should be Mrs Jebbs who lived at Crocketford south of Edinburgh. It probably is a x Sheldonii hybrid (i.e. between M. betonicifolia and M. grandis) but is distinctive in having smaller cup shaped flowers and a dwarfer habitat. Suspect these are looking a little sorry for themselves after the long cold spring this year in Scotland with many plants, even as I write, still nearly a month late flowering.

The hybrids that are known as Meconopsis' napaulensis' are about to flower. These are largely derived from what is now known as M. staintonii which was collected many years ago by the Stainton, Sykes and Williams expedition to Nepal. A really large pink coloured form like this is well worth saving the seed from and distributing. They are all monocarpic and die after the evergreen rosette expands to a 4 foot or so flowering spike and this one took three years to flower. All three of my daughters have allowed me to plant Meconopsis in their gardens and this one was taken in Invergowrie, Tayside, Scotland. The gardens are in Cumbria, Invergowrie and Wick, north of Scotland. I have learnt a great deal about subtle climate effects in northern U.K. In all my daughters gardens they grow much  better than my garden in dry east Fife but in Wick they really thrive. 

I always hand pollinate Meconopsis punicea and this ensures full capsules and a large seed harvest. Three images taken today. 1, A typical white stigma without pollen (bottom). 2, Stigma dusted by hand with pollen (middle). 3, Anthers clearly dehiscing masses of pollen. This varies from the ocre of the present one to dark purple, and nearly black (top). 

Another classic genus for the meconopsis garden, is Cypripedium. When I first started these were available in the trade but almost certainly dug up in the wild. They were difficult to establish and most would have been lost. Recently Cypripediums have been added to the list of orchids that can be flask cultured. These can still be difficult to establish permanently in the garden. This particular plant I have had for 30 years and in a good year produces 20 to 30 flowers. They should never be moved and trying to divide a good clump can be a recipe for disaster but once happy they are wonderful plants with very large flowers. This species is C. macranthum (sometimes listed as C. macranthos) but only one name can be right and I prefer the former and was collected N.W. of the Himalayas. It is very widespread right into China and is a very hardy species. 

This Cardiocrinum has grown about 50 cms. in ten days and probably has some way to go before flowering. Will keep this posted every so often until it flowers.