Papaver 'Watermelon'

Refresh your flowerbeds with the fruity tones of Papaver 'Watermelon'! Bursting with big, silky blooms in May, a few groups of these clump-forming perennial oriental poppies will be a tantalising treat for the eyes every year. The flashy, dark pink Papaver 'Watermelon' puts on a great show and, best of all for busy gardeners, it requires very little in terms of time and care from you to do its job. It’s low maintenance, hardy and resilient, so once you’ve planted this poppy and it’s settled in, you can virtually leave it to its own devices, outside all year round.

Typical of oriental poppies, the impressive dark pink flowers seem to appear out of nowhere — look forward to that cheery moment as they suddenly pop from green bud into full bloom! Although the flower burst is sudden, it’s not short-lived. The petals of Papaver 'Watermelon' are thick, resilient and surprisingly long-lasting.  

Papaver 'Watermelon' flowers in May and makes a fantastic companion for other May flowers such as Dutch Iris, peonies and alliums. Papavers are happier in borders than patio containers. Find a spot for your Papaver orientale 'Watermelon' in a sheltered flower bed and be sure to dig over the area to loosen up the soil and remove any weeds before planting. This plant settles well into free-draining soils with regular watering. In heavier soil types with a high clay content, it’s better to pot up your bare root Papaver and grow it on outdoors until it’s a bit bigger before planting into your border.