Are you always looking for plants that will give you the biggest bang for your landscaping buck?  If you have a sunny bed where there is moderately dry, lean soil, you have the right spot for any member of the poppy family.  These perennial extroverts are showstoppers in the garden; they will give you powerful color for your money.

Oriental poppies, one of the most common varieties, are strong, bold plants with coarse hairy leaves.  Flowers are large and showy, up to 5 inches across, and come in shocking shades of red and orange as well as pastels of pink, coral and white.  They have large black interesting centers.  The plants can get by on little water once established and in fact, will become leggy and weak if over-watered.  Oriental poppies die back in mid-summer, so plan for another mid-season perennial to hide the plant's decline, such as baby's breath.  You'll also want to give this plant a healthy space to reach its full potential.

Another member of the poppy family is Papaver atlanticum or Armenian poppy.  These poppies are more delicate, with finer foliage and smaller, melon-orange blossoms atop flexible stems.  They look like colored bubbles bouncing in the breeze since the thin stems appear almost invisible.  Use them in the center of the bed among later-blooming perennials to camouflage their dieback in the midsummer.  A close cousin, the Iceland poppy, is similar in habit to the Armenian poppy but does not spread, and comes in a variety of lollipop shades: yellow, orange, salmon, rose and pink.  Deadheading these beauties will prolong bloom.  Iceland poppies will grow to about 12 inches, while Armenian poppies can reach 2 feet high and wide, and Orientals 3 or more feet high.  The contrast between the paper-like poppy flowers and the sturdy, stout foliage adds special interest to the perennial bed.

Last but not least is California poppies and Shirley poppies, also known as Papaver rhoeas.  Both of these extroverts are notorious self-seeders, but you'd look far and wide before you'd find more likeable overachievers.  California poppies have lovely blue-green foliage similar to flat leaf parsley, and sport Bronco-orange 2-inch flowers.  They are fairly drought tolerant once established and freely reseed themselves, often sprouting between flagstones and in rock mulch.  Shirley poppies have coarser foliage but come in clear shades of pink, red, orange, white and bi-colors, some with fluted edges.  They can be readily grown from seed right out in the garden.  More good news: poppies make excellent cut flowers; be sure to sear cut stems in a match flame before arranging in water.

As a final note, there is the king of all poppies, the opium poppy.  Yes, these are the plants that produce the sedative and often-abused drug.  It also produces the seeds we use in cooking. Can we gardeners grow it for its spectacular flowers?  At present, the opium poppy is an illegal plant for the homeowner to grow; stick with the other varieties outlined above and you won't have to worry.

The Papaver clan is worthy of a special place in your perennial garden.  Although all the varieties mentioned above share the same qualities of drought tolerance, strong character and show-stopping color, each has its uniqueness.  If you want a truly splashy early-summer display, be sure to include a member of this family in your perennial bed.  Poppies will give your garden pizzazz!

For more information on plants that do well in a dry landscape, visit our pages on Water-Wise Landscaping and Drought.

Q:  I need to repot a houseplant.  What is the best time to do this and how should I decide on the pot size?

A:  If the pot has drainage holes, check the bottom of the pot to see if roots are coming out the bottom.  If so, it is time to repot.  If your pot does not have drainage holes check the roots by putting your hand over the soil and gently tipping the plant over (make sure the soil is pretty dry first). If the roots seem like they are extensive, it is time to repot.  When repotting, you should use a container that is approximately an inch in diameter larger than your present pot.

Q:  I am a little confused.  What is the difference between annuals, biennials and perennials?

A:  An annual plant is one that completes its life cycle in one year such as a petunia.  A biennial takes two growing seasons to complete its life cycle with flower and fruit production taking place during the second year followed by death.  Perennials are plants that return year after year such as a dogwood.  Remember that it can take up to 3 years for a herbaceous perennial to reach its full potential.

Q:  I want to plant some drought tolerant trees.  Can you recommend some?

A:  Make tree choices based on the mature size of the tree. Some large shade trees that are drought tolerant include hackberry (Celtis occidentalis), Kentucky coffeetree (Gymnocladus dioicus) and bur oak (Quercus macrocarpa). Medium sized trees include hoptree (Ptelea trifoliata), gambel oak (Quercus gambelii), pinyon pine (Pinus edulis), and bristlecone pine (Pinus aristata). Smaller trees are American plum (Prunus americana), thornless cockspur hawthorn (Crataegus crusgalli inermis) and callery pear (Pyrus calleryana).

When choosing plants for your landscape, select ones that not only give a good floral display but ones that also have something to offer after the flowers are gone such as interesting bark texture or leaf color.  A couple of good examples are red twig dogwood, burning bush and any type of plant with variegated leaves.

If your yard has unsightly items such as meters, hydrants, etc., try using plants to screen them. Remember first to call for utility locates and underground pipes.  Also be sure that the plant you choose doesn't totally block needed access when it grows to its mature size.

Before purchasing a climbing plant consider where and what it is going to climb. You can use an arbor or trellis that is made out of wood or iron or a combination of both.  Consider how the plant will attach itself to the structure.  For example, some vines wrap around the structure such as a fence.  Others form adhering mechanisms that will need a textured surface to climb.

The authors have received training through Colorado State University Cooperative Extension's Master Gardener program and is a Master Gardener volunteer for Larimer County.

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This page updated:  April 15, 2003