Shades of blue

Royal, navy, sapphire, indigo, azure, cerulean, beryl, ultramarine, cobalt, midnight, powder, turquoise...

And then, the Himalayan Blue Poppy.  A natural blue color so perfect it almost defies description.

I took these pictures yesterday at the Rhododendron Species Foundation & Botanical Garden in Federal Way. We took a morning walk to find the poppies that usually bloom there in May.

I've already written about them twice-- just type "poppy" in that blog search box. What else can I say, except there is something about this flower that captures the imagination and attracts the photographers.

And of course, every gardener craves them, even though Meconopsis betonicifolia will usually let you down once you start trying to grow it yourself in Seattle.  For starters, they are native to the lush, mountainous regions of south-eastern Tibet. 

Definitely not West Seattle.  The trick is to try and mimic their native growing conditions: sheltered position, no competition, morning but not afternoon sun, high nutrient requirements and most important, the roots must never, EVER dry out.

OK, then.  Advice on the Seattle garden forums ranges from "find a good place and pray over it" to "treat it like an expensive annual." 

Despite all this, seedlings are offered for sale in pricy little pots to hopeful gardeners at the garden nursery gift shop.  The last two visits down there I resisted temptation, but this time they got me.  I was in an impulsive mood.  Ten bucks.  On the way out, clutching my little pot,  John just said, "sucker." I just said "yes."

The first planting requirement (after deciding on the perfect spot in your crowded flower bed) is digging an 18-inch square hole and filling it with compost and "well-rotted manure."  As if we all have piles of that laying around!

Well, what is gardening (and life) without something special to hope and pray over?