Get the blues

I was lucky enough to attend this year’s Chelsea Flower Show, and whilst there was much to admire on Main Avenue and elsewhere, I felt myself drawn to two stands in particular in the main marquee: Harperley Hall Farm Nurseries and Kevock Garden Plants; both had a fine collection of alpine plants that included the almost mythical Meconopsis, commonly known as the Himalayan blue poppy.

Coming from the north of the country, we have a distinct advantage over the rest of the UK in that we can grow these amazing plants to a very high standard due to the cooler conditions; the blue poppy dislikes warm, dry air and resents being planted in direct sunlight.

At RHS Garden Harlow Carr we have been busy planting Meconopsis Lingholm along the Streamside and in the tarn meadow. At this time of the year, from May and into June, our swathes of blue poppies look their very best. The blue petals, when open, produce a flower almost the size of your palm. Being relatively large flowers, it’s best to plant them in a semi-shaded site out of the wind.

The soil conditions need to be slightly acidic with both free draining and moisture retentive properties – a fine balance indeed! A combination of plenty of grit river sand, alpine grit, leaf mould and ericaceous compost offers an ideal growing medium. If you have heavy clay soils, try incorporating more river sand and medium grade bark to help improve the soil structure which in turn will help to reduce waterlogging. It is important to remember that this is an alpine plant and it will soon start to suffer if the soil is consistently wet; this tends to be more of a problem during the winter months.

Meconopsis can be a little tricky to propagate, however, there are a number of different ways of starting this plant off on its journey from a small seedling into a large blooming beauty. The seed usually becomes available from September – October. It can be sown in the autumn into modular growing units using a loam-based propagation compost, something like John Innes No.1. The seed should be sown on the surface of the compost and just lightly covered in compost and alpine grit. Germination normally takes between 3-4 weeks. The seed can be stored in a container in the fridge and sown the following spring. Once established, the plants should be moved on from 9cm – 2 litre pots when they will be ready to plant out.

It is important to remember that these plants are monocarpic, meaning they will die if they are allowed to flower as a small plant. Ideally, the flowering buds should be removed during the first few years to build up a strong plant with plenty of shoots that should last for many years. Alternatively, the plant can be increased by division in the autumn but this should only be attempted on very large plants. Carefully use two small hand forks placed back-to-back into the outer crown of the plant and slowly split and divide leaving the main crown of the plant intact.

Meconopsis are relatively pest free although slugs and snails can be a problem; use either alpine grit or a coarse mulch to help deter most of the marauding slugs. Nematodes can also be watered into the soil at this time of the year and can be very effective.

Meconopsis do come in other colours and forms, dependent upon the individual species. Meconopsis punicea have deep red flowers while the Welsh poppy, Meconopsis cambrica tend to have bright yellow flowers. Perhaps our beautiful blue poppies will help to redress any possible political bias with the impending general election just around the corner!

To see these amazing plants at their very best, seek out the shadier areas of the garden such as the Woodland edge, the Streamside and the Peat Terrace behind the Bath House, or come along to the RHS Harlow Carr Flower Show from 23 – 25 June. We’d love to see you.

Jobs for the week

· Continue to sow salads at 2-3 weekly intervals.

· Apply nematodes / biological controls to control slugs and vine weevil.

· Make sure that summer bedding plants are fully hardened off before they are planted out next month.

· Continue to feed bedding plants and plants for the allotment.

· Sow grass seed and turf damaged areas of the lawn; keep well watered during dry spells.

· Mulch and water newly planted trees and shrubs during dry spells.

· Make sure that peas, beans and sweet peas are adequately supported and staked.

· Control early development of weeds by hoeing or by using a mulch.

With thanks to Andrew Willocks, Horticulturist at RHS Garden Harlow Carr

DIARY DATES

30 May at 11am: Harlow Carr Garden Tours Find out more about the garden on a tour with the Friends of Harlow Carr every Tuesday throughout May. A donation of £2 per person is suggested.

Until 30 June: The ‘Language of Flowers’ exhibition The Victorians believed that every flower - and some vegetables - carried a symbolic meaning: a hellebore for scandal, a rose for love. Learn about the symbolic meaning of flowers at an exhibition taking place at Harlow Carr’s library. Normal garden admission applies.

1 – 30 June: Outdoor Exhibition - Gardeners’ World at 50 RHS Garden Harlow Carr hosts an outdoor exhibition throughout June charting fifty years since Gardeners’ World first broadcast. See displays from the BBC archives and the RHS Library reflecting how gardening has changed over the years and how Gardeners’ World - now Britain’s longest running gardening show - responded to, and sometimes led, the changes. Normal garden admission applies.