Sketching Out Blog: Sketches of art, watercolor, photos, recipes, books, interviews, Jewish topics, and Highland Park, New Jersey

Mexican Poppies Instead of Grass

Mexican poppies pink
In my front yard many pink Mexican poppies are in bloom. My husband remembers the days when he had to mow the front lawn – no more.

poppies and salvia
There is also purple salvia growing behind the pink Mexican poppies.

lambs ear with Mexican poppies
The tall green plants behind the Mexican poppies in this shot are lambs’ ear. I originally planted a few that I transported from my mother’s garden in Newton, MA. That was in 1998, so these have been reproducing for over ten years. I’ll probably pull most of them out soon and replace them with summer plants, maybe cucumber plants that I grow among the flowers.

chives
These flowering chives are growing in a pot in my backyard, but since they are in a pot, I could easily transfer them to the front.

For more Nature Notes:

Nature Notes

Carver says

The mexican poppies are very beautiful. Much better than a lawn. I also like flowering chives. I used to have a lot of that here.

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Robin from Israel says

Poppies instead of grass sounds beautiful. Any chance of a photo showing the lawn as a whole for the full effect :)?

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leoraw says

Hm, maybe. It isn't raining today, so I could go out later and give it a try.

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Hannah says

Your poppies are lovely and your garden looks beautiful. Here it has been so cold and rainy since the beginning of April that everything is late and the flowers are still rare. Nice to see it's different in your own yard.

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leoraw says

Everything on the U.S. east coast seems to be early. Carver, who is much further south, had a lot of early flowers, too. We have had bountiful rains this spring.

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Rambling Woods says

Oh a lawn with no grass would be a dream....I love this and I agree a photo of the whole lawn would be wonderful..I had hopes of putting in a large garden bed in the front this season, but I can't with my back so I will enjoy the photos of yours.. Thank you for your kind comments. I am doing the computer in little bits so I am not sitting long, but I really enjoy seeing all the nature in other parts of the world....Michelle

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Eileen says

Leora, your poppies are beautiful. I would like to have some growing in my garden. Lovely nature post.

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Libby says

Much MUCH prettier than grass! I love the blue=purple flowers behind the poppies too - great combo :)

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craftygreenpoet says

What lovely flowers, such a pretty alternative to grass! Good for the bees too!

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Jewaicious says

Loveliness abounds in these beautiful captures.

Nice...no grass to mow.

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toby says

Your mother lives in Newton? My husband and I lived there from 1993-1996, right before we made aliya...
You have a beautiful garden!

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leoraw says

My mother z"l is no longer alive. But she was living there in until 1998, when she died. She was diagnosed with cancer right after our wedding in 1993.

I grew up in Newton.

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toby says

Oh, I'm sorry to hear about your mother. Funny that we were both married in 1993, though! What's your maiden name?
If this is getting too personal for comments, feel free to email me: 321toby at gmail dot com...

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leoraw says

I sent you an email.

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randy schaefer says

these are fantastic flowers but very very hard to find do you happen to know where she got them and were they seed's or plant's please help

hard to find
randy

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leoraw says

Thanks, Randy. I can't remember where I got them. I used to go to a nursery in North Brunswick, NJ, but it since got bought out and is nowhere nearly as good quality as it was ten years ago.

I do find it is hard to keep them alive from year to year... I will see if I get any this spring. I am keeping some greens alive that might possibly bloom.

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Merry says

My Mexican Poppies have proliferated to such a point they crowd out all my other flowers, lillies, peonies, various bulbs....they come back every year & have deep roots. Any idea how to harness them back? Or just kill them off. I get a few hard freezes here in the high desert, they don't seem to mind, Roundup helps, at least I think. Any advece?

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leoraw says

Merry, I don't know how to control your Mexican poppies, but I hate that you are using Roundup. Not good for any of us, in terms of our health.

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Merry says

Thanks for your reply; I hate using roundup also<:(

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