Grow Your Own Magazine

Hi everyone, I'm new to this site and hopefully i can gain some knowledge and experience from the members of this site.

I am the memorial custodian(Voluntary) at Palace Barracks in Northern Ireland .I am responsable for keeping the Memory of our servicemen and women who lost their lives while serving in the Armed Forces around the world.and also looking after and maintaining the memorial garden at the same time (See Website Link)index

I have just designed a new memorial in memory of those killed in Afghanistan and Iraq .My idea is to plant red poppy seeds all around the new memorial. I would like help in how I go about getting these seeds in quanity and any advice on how they are planted .the new memorial will be dedicated in November 08 in the South East England.
I've been doing this work for the last 15 years and it is all done on a voluntary basis.

Best Wishes to you all

Albert
Memorial Custodian

Hi Albert

I, and probably others on here, am a big poppy fan. If you pm me, I can send some to you. I harvest them from the crops every year that I grow and have loads that we won't be needing. I usually scatter them around the locality but I would be happy to send some on. They need to be sown pretty much anytime between now and end of may - if you sow successionally over the next few weeks, you will get a longer season.

There is also a wild flower farm near here; they have absolutely loads of poppies and might either donate or sell some to you [I would hope donate!]. It is truly gorgeous in the poppy season.

Naturescape British Wildflowers

Regards

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Andrea :wavehello

http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...logs/zazen999/

moon trials completed:
tomatoes
[46% increase in crop per seed sown and 10% increase in crop per plant]

currently underway:
calabrese
garlic

Hi Custodian! I really appreciate what you are trying to do. The wild (Flanders) poppies grow well from seed and seem to self seed every year. Once you get hold of the initial supply you should have no problems in keeping them going (I presume they will be grown in grass). Just make sure the grass isn't mown too short or too often as these are wild flowers that usually grow in meadows. Good luck.

That's a lovely idea Albert. I'm afraid I don't know of anywhere to get hold of large quantities of poppy seeds but have you tried contacting some of the big seed companies & asking for help, I'm sure Thompson & Morgan or some others would be able to offer some help.T&M sell Flanders poppies - see link below.
Poppy - Wild Flanders

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Into every life a little rain must fall.

Hi Albert,

You are doing a great service ! One that you might try and get hold of is called Ladybird, Its red with a big black spot on each petal. I'm sure if you wrote to some of the seed merchants they would send you some, if they don't tell them you'll name and shame on here and we'll all boycott them !

More power to your digging arm

Nick

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ntg

Never be afraid to try something new.
Remember that a lone amateur built the Ark.
A large group of professionals built the Titanic

http://grief-encounters.blogspot.com/

Hi and welcome Albert.

I wish you every success in your poppy search, sorry I can't help.

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Happy Gardening,
Shirley

http://www.honeyjukes.co.uk

Hi Albert

I have a packet of Flanders Fields you can have. Though it's not a huge quantity as you'e after it might be a start? I also *might* have a packet of the lady bird ones Nick's talking about.... PM me your address if you want me to pop them in the post

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Shortie

"There are only two lasting bequests we can hope to give our children; one of these is roots, the other wings" - Hodding Carter

Welcome to the Grapevine Custodian. You are doing a wonderful job, and I wish you success in your poppy project. I would also recommend you to contact Wildflowers - Naturescape Native British Wild Flowers, Seeds, Plants and Advice with mail-order and online ordering, who are very helpful, and used to supplying all quantities of wildflower seeds from small packets to acres worth! Also Thompson & Morgan, their seeds are excellent quality. I'm sure if you contacted them they would be more than happy to help for such a cause.
Good luck, and I'm sure the others would agree, we'd love to see pictures when it is flowering

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Sarah

“Tell me one last thing,” said Harry. “Is this real? Or has this been happening inside my head?”
“Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean that it is not real?”