A couple weeks ago I received an e-mail soliciting a guess as to what recently arrived at Green Acres (a local nursery). My response was “mistletoe”. Mistletoe is on my mind this time of year because I take full advantage of the license this tradition offers me. Good timing along with quick and stealthy moves provide opportunities I can only dream of throughout the year.

But I was wrong. It’s okay though because the correct answer turned out to be: ICELAND POPPIES!!! Yep, capitalization and three exclamation points. Someone was excited about this. Of course, I was too. Iceland poppies grace a garden with breathtaking splashes of rich, deep colors. I love them. My gardener friend with the very soft heart knows how much I love color so she regularly plants a variety of colorful blooms in the Homeward Bound Memorial Garden. She does do that just for me … doesn’t she?

Here are some shots of this year’s Iceland Poppies a day or two after planting.

Beautiful, yes, but here are a few examples from last winter (it’s California!) that show what we have to look forward to.