Californian poppies are incredibly easy to grow (they even flourish in very poor soils) but they will put on a dazzling, summer-long performance. The 'Mission Bells' mix contains a brightly coloured blend of white, red, yellow and pink shades, which are perfect for cottage gardens and meadows, although they look great in any naturalised setting. The bees love them and they also make excellent if short-lived cut-flowers.
How to care for Eschscholzia californica Mission Bells:
Choose a site in full sun with well-drained soil; they thrive in poor, sandy ground and don’t need enriched compost or ground. Water sparingly once established, as they are drought-tolerant and dislike waterlogged soil. Deadhead regularly to prolong flowering. Little to no feeding is required, as too much fertiliser encourages leaves rather than flowers.
Sowing instructions:
Prepare the bed well and sow Californian poppy seeds shallowly into drills from March to May where they are to flower. When large enough to handle thin out the seedlings to 10-15cm (6in) apart, taking care not to damage the tap roots of the retained seedlings. Water when necessary, but avoid excessively wet conditions. Seeds sown in late summer and early autumn will flower earlier than those sown in spring.
Flowering period:
- Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Apr
- May
- Jun
- Jul
- Aug
- Sep
- Oct
- Nov
- Dec
Eventual height:
0.25m
Eventual spread:
0.25m
Position:
Full sun
Rate of growth:
Average
Soil:
Moderately fertile, moist, well-drained soil
Hardiness:
Fully hardy
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3 × packets of seeds
was £8.00
now £6.80
£2.27 each
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(delivery within 3-4 working days)
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Goes well with
Erysimum cheiri 'Fire King'
wallflower
From £2.54
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| 3 × packets of seeds | £6.80 |
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| approx 500 seeds | £2.54 |
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| 1 × pack of ten | bare root | £10.99 |
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| 2 + 1 FREE packs | bare root | £21.98 |
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