92 SCHOOL AND HOME GARDENS 
POPPIES 
Poppies are of two types, the annuals and the hardy 
perennials. There are few flowers easier to grow and 
none more useful for lighting up dark masses of shrub- 
bery, mixed borders, or dull bits of landscape. They 
vary in height from one to three feet, according to the 
variety. The colors range from the purest white, through 
the delicate shades of pale pink, rose, and carmine, to 
the deepest crimson and blood red. Many of the blooms 
» are daintily edged and striped. 
The Iceland poppies are hardy perennials. They 
flower well the first season and for years afterwards. 
If the buds are picked just before blooming, and if the 
seed pods of those allowed to blossom are removed, they 
will continue to flower throughout the entire season. 
Sowing annuals. Annual poppies do not stand trans- 
planting easily. As early in the spring as possible sow 
the seeds where the plants are to stand; they are not 
injured by frosts. Sow thinly, covering with a very little 
fine soil, and press down gently with a board. The best 
time for sowing is in cloudy weather or after a shower. 
The plants will come up in a few days. After they are 
well out of the ground, thin them to one inch apart. 
When grown to a height of two or three inches. thin 
to from four to eight imches apart, according to the 
variety. 
Porch boxes. Annual poppies of the smaller varieties 
make very pretty porch boxes. Sow the seeds in the 
