A few years back we found a strange flower growing up through the middle of my hostas below the front porch. It was lovely, but none of us could figure out where it came from.
Chatter had set one of her cactus on the porch railing to enjoy the summer sun and it bloomed a small reddish pink bloom.
The only thing we could think of was that somehow that bloom was connected to the strange flower in the hostas since they were the same color.
I shared a photo of it with Blind Pig readers and folks let us know it was a poppy. We were happy to learn what the beautiful flower was.
Chatter was so enthralled with the poppy that just showed up at our house that she made sure to save the seed from it so she could have more.
She planted the seed the following year but didn’t have much luck with growing the flowers. But she had been thoroughly bitten by the poppy flower bug 🙂
I stumbled on a video of lady who said the best time to plant poppies was when there was snow on the ground. We didn’t have any snow, but decided winter would be good enough. So we threw down some poppy seeds in the cold of winter and it worked! We had poppies the next summer.
After that success Chatter made a new flower bed dedicated to her poppies.
The flowers she planted are just lovely this summer and I can’t get over how much the honey bees enjoy them. Every time I walk by the bees are having a hay day over the flowers!
For several years I’ve thought that honey bees were in decline, but Paul recently shared a video with me that stated honey bees are not in decline and in fact are at their highest population ever since records have been kept.
I’ve always wanted to keep bees. Pap used to try to talk me out of it because he said it was a lot of work. Pap said when he was a boy they were always a worrying about something bothering their hives, but that the honey sure was good on one of his mother’s biscuits.
Last night’s video: Visiting the Satterfields for Bear Grease, Flowers, & Fellowship.
Tipper
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Poppies are lovely. I keep bees most years but am taking a small break from it.
So pleased you all have poppies. It is very satisfying to a gardener to find the answer to another of nature’s riddles. Some seeds must be “stratified” by exposure to enough cold to germinate. Others can germinate immediately. Red oak acorns, for example, overwinter before germinating. White oaks germinate in the fall not long after they drop. Mustard among all its seeds, it seems, can do both? I don’t think it really does though. If I let it go to seed in summer I’ll have mustard in the fall and then again in spring.
It’s true that worldwide, bee populations have been increasing. However, the bad news is that in the US, there has been up to 42% loss of bee colonies. We still need to do what we can to encourage their increase.
Bears can become a real problem with hives. Around here some people use electric fencing around their hives, just to deter bears. Sometimes it works. I’m happy to provide lots of flowers for the bees, but I’m also happy to buy honey from other folks 🙂
A gorgeous picture of the poppy, Tipper, including the honey bee in it. Such a beautiful color. Since your plate is already overflowing, you will need to upgrade to a platter if you decide to go into raising bees! Never mind figuring out a way to extend hours to the day so you can fit it all in! ha ha
I love the poppies. When she was talking about them earlier – I envisioned something different – so after seeing hers … I may have to try and plant too.
When we make our trips to TN/NC during the year – we always stop and get fresh honey in Clinton TN or at another location in Del Rio TN – even though we live in IN – family roots are in TN and Hot Springs NC – so it’s our way of just feeling closer – not to mention the honey is soooo good! Looking forward to your book signing!
Kathy – glad you stop in Clinton. That’s where I live.
My father-in-law was born and raised in Clinton. Family still around there area – and always feels like home! We love it there Brenda and you are blessed to call it home.
Another thing I’ve noticed about the return of the honeybees is their color. The sparce bees of the previous many years were black with yellow markings. Those I see this year are the yellow with brown markings. These returnees look like those I remember from my youth when we kept bees. It’s not only the color change that piqued my interest, it’s their numbers. The darker ones weren’t often seen but the lighter colored ones are everywhere.
This latest population seem to me to be almost the color of the honey they produce!
I love all flowers and the poppies are surely beautiful!! I also enjoyed the scenery on the way to the Satterfield’s and your visit with them. Katie’s face just sparkled with absolute beauty and happiness; and Corie is a wonderful teacher on the Bible. I so enjoyed her video on “Be Still and Watch What God Can Do.” Amen!
I’ve had a bee hive for 6 years. The first bees I had swarmed after 3 years, no apparent reason. I bought another nuke of bees kept them for 3 years and they got invaded with wax moths to the point of no recovery. I had checked them just 3 weeks before and everything was fine , so I have decided I’m finished with bees.
The only reason I got them was for my garden. In the 6 years I had them i saw bees on flowers in my garden maybe a dozen times. What does most all of the pollinating in my garden is what I call baby bumble bees. They’re colored similar to a bumble bee but a lot smaller.
My opinion is honey bees aren’t worth the time and expense.
For all the work we do in the garden, you wouldn’t think that the unplanned surprises would be so welcomed, but I get the biggest kick out of them.
I always thought poppies were hard to grow, but Katie has convinced me to give them a try. Now to remember to plant with the snow.
If you remember, a few weeks ago, I told you about my she-holly was buzzing because honeybees were working its tiny white flowers. Their tasty treats have now turned into little green berries so the bees have moved on. Now its my yard that buzzes, the bees are finding food for their hive in the clover that infests my yard.
Yes, I have noticed the return of the honeybees en masse. And it gives me pause when I mow but I know the clover will bloom again tomorrow and the bees will be right back!
Poppies are such a beautiful, cheery flower and I really enjoyed seeing Katie’s a while back. Thank you for another trip to Satterfield’s. What special folks they are and that little Quincy, so sweet!!
Katie’s poppies, surrounded by the statue she brought from Miss Cindy’s house, are absolutely beautiful. I’ll be throwing down some poppy seed this winter.
Bee keeping is still popular around my area especially out toward where John Rice was from. I always keep honey bought from a local farmer!
Thanks for taking us back to Satterfields!
The information Paul shared is exciting news as I have been worried about the bee decline. Vegetation would not live without hard-working pollinators with honeybees being labeled the most important of all. Kentucky has a highway beautification project where miles of flowers are planted along the freeway every year and the red poppies are the showstoppers.
I used to keep bees and Pap was right about it being a lot of work. If you want hives without the work, you might contact a local beekeeper to see if they will put some hives at your place in exchange for some honey. Beekeepers do that all the time. Visit the North Carolina Beekeepers Association to find a club chapter near you and you’ll find a lot of beekeepers that way. With that nice garden of yours, a beekeeper would be excited to put some hives out there.
Poppies are lovely. They are so delicate and graceful. I will have to try putting out seed this winter.
Beautiful poppy flower! I have seen very few honey bees in my garden this year. The big bumblebee seems to be my main pollinator in my garden this year. I sure hope some honey bees or at least more bumblebees would come visit my garden. My plants are loaded with blooms but they don’t seem to be getting pollinated as much and blooms just fall off. Send some bees my way please.
Poppies are one of my favorite flowers, but you don’t see many in gardens. They are so delicate & remind me of crepe paper. We had bees for several years and yes, they are a lot of work, but we enjoyed almost every minute we spent with them. I didn’t see near as many around the last couple of years but this year I have noticed a lot more. I hope they are not on the decline like Paul said. Blessings to you & your family & prayers for Corie and baby as he will soon be here to join the family.
They are so beautiful ! We tried to grow some but not a lot of success. Our neighbor has honey bees so we always get a sweet treat towards the end of summer.
I have many flowers, some perennials and some annuals. Also, we have flowering bushes and trees. You see many different kinds of bees, butterflies and birds on the flowers. The hummingbirds love them. I have never grown poppies but after seeing your video and that gorgeous pink poppy above, I’m going to try to grow them. They are beautiful. My Daddy kept bees when I was growing up. He had about six or more hives. One hive that was very aggressive. When you came within twenty feet or so they would come after you. I don’t remember what kind they were. He loved nature and would gather the honey and give it to our relatives, friends and neighbors. The bees didn’t seem to bother him and of course he wore his bee suit. I don’t really care for the taste of honey. When we were growing up, we would mix it with butter and slather it on my mother’s wonderful biscuits. Since I had the Covid virus almost three years ago my taste has changed. I can’t taste many foods anymore, including coffee, which I used to love to drink. This drought is working havoc on our flowers, bushes and grass. My husband and I go out every day and water them. We need rain badly.
I love seeing all of your flowers, and Katie’s poppies are especially beautiful. I have a small flower garden of marigolds and sunflowers and hanging baskets of petunias on my porch. We have two hives of honeybees and they are all over my flowers, but mostly they are buzzing all over our yard full of clover. Our neighbor has tons of clover in his yard too, and our bees love it. Keeping honeybees is definitely work, but so rewarding. It’s fascinating to just sit and watch them flying in and out all day carrying pollen in on their tiny legs. We can usually see them hatching every day too. For a few minutes, it looks like a small tornado of bees comes out of the hive flying round and round right in front. Then, as quickly as they come out, the bees settle back down as they begin their important job. Honeybees work very hard during their short lifespan. It is a fun hobby. We use honey for everything from baking to lemonade—and it is true that it is especially yummy on a hot biscuit. Hope everyone has a great day!
Around here beekeeping has become a big hobby. Several folks I know have bees-some faring better than others, but like all things practice makes perfect! Poppies only have a name because they are used in opiate production (poppies of Afghanistan for example.) They are indeed a lovely flower too. I am glad to know not only Pressley gals but bees and pollinators love them too! My water line busted yesterday and my adopted kid is in the hospital bleeding occultly… it’s been rough yall.
The poppies look so delicate. Right now my favorite flower is Dianthus. It is so pretty. I learned the common name yesterday is Sweet William. My husband’s middle name is William. He thought that was neat.
Beautiful poppies! As for beekeeping, it would be right up your alley except for the chemicals recommended for pests. Of course, it can be done organically. Either way, Pap was right that it’s a lot of work but it’s so rewarding.
I’ve long thought that poppies are a beautiful and delicate little flower. It’s wonderful to hear that honey bees are doing well. Weren’t there some serious issues with them just a few years ago? Honey bees are incredible and important little creatures. Additionally, nothing is better on a hot homemade biscuit than a dollop of honey.
I am a man that hardly knows one flower from another, except for some of the obvious ones. I hope the honey bees are making a comeback. I know from being outside a lot, I do not see as many honey bees as I once did. Out of everything (insects, etc.) that can hurt you outdoors, I give more RESPECT to a bee than anything else. I don’t panic, just give them my full attention. I am yet to find one of Tipper’s friendly bees!
Poppies are beautiful. They’re our state flower here in California.
Such a nice story about the poppies, Tipper! I’m an avid gardener and have found seeds that need to go through cold before planting. The first time I put seeds in the refrigerator before planting, I was sure they would never grow. But, they did and turned out just great. I love Katie’s poppies and hope they thrive for many years.
As for bee keeping, I have to agree whole heartedly that they are a LOT of work. I had a small hive of about 30,000. It was no fun getting into that bee suit on a 90° day. Over 5 months I was stung 21 times. One of those times, it was because I accidentally left a tiny hole where the suit zipper didn’t close at the top, and I got stung in the throat. A whole swarm of bees came after me because of the pheromones the offending bee sent out as I fought to get it out of the suit. They can only sting once and then they die. I learned to immediately scrape the stung area with a strong downward motion to remove the stinger so it wouldn’t remain and cause a lot of swelling. If you ever do get stung, a bit of mud can help reduce pain as well as aloe vera juice to remove the heat. I no longer keep bees, but I do plant those flowers that nourish them.
Have you ever taken a close look at a honeybee’s stinger once it is detached from the bee? How it continues to pulse as it tries to pump venom into you?
I saw your video on poppy planting in the winter and now my flower bed is full of beautiful poppies!
Poppies are lovely. I’d like to plant some here. I’ll have to remember about planting in winter. I’ve also always wanted to keep bees. I love watching them buzz about at their work. I have lavender and catmint that they are crazy about. Those flowers just drip with honey and bumble bees.
I just got some earrings in the mail from Katie and they’re beautiful! She really does good work!
Red poppies have always been one of my favorite flowers, the red being so red it’s almost a neon color. Gorgeous, and in my last years gardening, my children and grandchildren helped me to plant several pollinator gardens. Bee balm, daisies, zinnias, cone flowers, verbena and cosmos, and a few cabbage rose and sage plants here and there. I’ve really enjoyed seeing Katie’s poppies as I never had pink ones. They are absolutely beautiful.
I love poppies. I have California poppies, or that’s what I was told they are. They also say that the Allis Chalmers tractor color was copied from their beautiful bright orange color! I truly enjoyed your trip to Satterfield’s yesterday. Praying for all. God bless you and yours❤❤
The poppies are so pretty. I had heard honey bees were declining too. I’m glad to hear they are not.