662 



MECONOPSIS. 



THE ENGLISH FLOWER GARDEN. 



MECONOPSIS. 



flat on the soil. M. Pumilio thrives in 

 pots, cold frames, or the open air, and 

 does best in firm, open, bare spots in the 

 rock-garden, in warm positions in free 

 sandy soil. Though not showy, it is an 

 interesting plant, easily increased by 

 division. Figwort family. 



MECONOPSIS (Indian Poppy}. - 

 Handsome Poppyworts, the most familiar 

 of which is the common Welsh Poppy 

 (M. cambrica ) ; the other kinds are natives 

 of the Himalayas, hardy, but only of 

 biennial duration. They may be easily 

 raised from seed sown in spring ; and, 

 indeed, a good stock of strong plants can 

 be ensured only by annual sowings. The 

 following is the most successful mode of 

 cultivating them : A piece of ground is 

 prepared by digging in good loam and 

 well-rotted stable manure ; a two-light 

 frame is placed over it, and seedlings are 

 put in about March. As soon as the plants 

 are fairly established the sashes are re- 

 moved (unless the weather is frosty), and 

 throughout the summer the plants are well 

 supplied with water. In the following 

 April and May they will have become 

 large plants, often 2 to 3 ft. in diameter, 

 and are then removed to where they are 

 wanted to flower. This may be readily 

 done without needlessly checking them, 

 as they form so many fibrous roots that a 

 good ball of soil usually adheres to them. 

 They are thus grown on as quickly as 

 possible, being treated like biennials. 

 They should be planted out in a well- 

 drained rock-garden in good soil, with 

 plenty of water in summer, but they must 

 be kept as dry as possible in the winter, 

 as excessive moisture in cojd weather soon 

 kills them. Sandstone broken fine should 

 be placed under the leaves, to prevent 

 contact with the damp soil. A piece of 

 glass placed over the leaves in a slant- 

 ing position helps to protect them from 

 moisture. Many plants take three or 

 four years to flower, and some may be 

 kept in store pots for five or six years 

 without showing any tendency to flower, 

 but they are never so fine planted out 

 after being cramped in this way. After 

 flowering they all die. 



M. aculeata is a singularly beautiful 

 plant, with purple petals, like shot silk, 

 which contrast charmingly with the 

 numerous yellow stamens. The flowers 

 are 2 in. across,' on stems about 2 ft. high. 

 M. cambrica. For the wild garden or 

 wilderness the Welsh Poppy is one of the 

 most charming of plants. It is a cheerful 

 plant in all seasons, and a determined 

 coloniser, making its home of the wall, 

 rock, and the ruin. In many places it 



grows freely at the bottom of walls, or even 

 in gravel walks if allowed a chance. A 

 plant so easily naturalised needs no special 

 care in the garden, where it often comes 

 up unbidden. 



M. nepalensis has flower-stems 3 to 5 



Meconopsis Wallichi. 



ft. high, which are not much branched, the 

 nodding blossoms, borne freely, are 2 to 

 3^ in. across, and of a pale golden-yellow. 

 "M. simplicifolia has a tuft of lance- 

 shaped leaves, 3 to 5 in. long, slightly 

 toothed, and covered with a short, dense, 



