Poppies are always one of the most popular seedlings we sell. And it’s not hard to see why. They’re very pretty, they grow easily, and they make good cut flowers.

Currently at Awapuni we have three varieties of poppies available – Shirley, ANZAC and peony. A lot of gardeners are fans of peony poppies. Their many fluffy layers of petals look striking – they’re a great alternative if you don’t get enough frosts to grow true peonies.

Shirley poppies are also lovely and have a very delicate look to them. But my favourite variety of poppy would be ANZAC– particularly planted on mass. They are a very special sight to see in a garden.

You can order any of these poppies from here. Our newspaper-wrapped bundles of seedlings are delivered regularly all over the country– including Chatham Islands, Waiheke Island, Stewart Island and Great Barrier Island.

Keep an eye on our website if you’re interested in two other poppy varieties we usually stock but don’t have available at the moment – oriental and Iceland. You can sign up for an automatic alert once they’re ready to order.

When you’ve got your poppy plants look around the garden for a sunny, well-drained spot. Somewhere near the house is good if you get any wind as it will provide protection.

Once you’re ready to plant, simply dig a small hole and plant each seedling around 30cm apart. Next give them a water to help them get established. After that they shouldn’t require too much watering. If you do water them be careful not to overhead water as the pressure of the water might squash them.

Your poppies will start to put on their pretty display of flowers in around six to eight weeks. Remove the flower heads when they die (deadhead) to prolong their flowering.