Wednesday 5 June 2013

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.