Oriental poppy - Papaver orientale
May, 2007
The big papery petals of the oriental poppies are always glorious, opening out all of a sudden from their tight green golf ball buds. It never ceases to amaze how much petal is squeezed into that tiny space. However, we may not always look closely inside, and this picture shows that this may be a pity. The stamens are a bright navy blue, surrounding what looks for all the world like a miniature birthday cake!
Once the bees have come and done what is necessary for pollination, the stamens turn a dusty brown, and a day or two later all the beauty is over for another year - but worth waiting for that fleeting glory.
