POPPIES

April 10, 2026 Karen Logan

POPPIES:

SPRING FAVORITE!

We love our poppies at Vineyard Gardens and grow a wide range of varieties for every garden. From true perennials to short-lived perennials and classic annuals, each has its own charm. Our annual poppies readily reseed, often returning year after year to create natural, evolving drifts of color.

We start our annual poppies from seed and offer a beautiful, carefully grown selection. Also grown from seed is a perennial variety that is among our favorite : the Spanish poppy, Papaver rupifragum ‘Double Tangerine Gem.’ This late-blooming beauty produces soft apricot flowers in late summer. Native to the mountains of Spain, it grows alongside Spanish lavender, bringing a touch of that wild, sun-soaked landscape into your garden.

Poppies like a rich, well drained soil in full sun. Deer Resistant!!

PAPAVER ORIENTALIS/ORIENTAL POPPIES

The most well-known perennial poppies are the Oriental poppies. They are long-lived, resilient plants that make a bold seasonal statement. They bloom in late spring to early summer, go dormant in the heat of midsummer, and return the following year even larger and more impressive.

Oriental poppies are celebrated for their dramatic, dinner-plate–sized blooms. The classic red with a dark, inky center is perhaps the most iconic. This year, we’re offering Crimson Red, Orange Red, and ‘Royal Wedding,’ a striking white variety with a black center. We also have ‘Turkenlouis,’ with its vibrant red, ruffled petals, and ‘Princess Victoria Louise,’ a beautiful soft salmon. Oriental poppies bring true drama to the garden.

Make sure to mark the spot so that you don’t disturb the sleeping poppy!

PAPAVER NUDICAULE/ICELAND POPPIES

Icelandic poppies, Papaver nudicaule, their name meaning “bare stems”, are another perennial type, though typically shorter-lived than Oriental poppies. They are truly stunning, with delicate, crepe paper–like blooms held on slender, one-foot stems that seem to float above the foliage. Plant two or three in a pot for a soft, airy display that lasts through spring and into early summer.

We carry Iceland poppies in both the Champagne Series (individual colors) and the Wonderland Series (a cheerful mix). The Champagne Series is available in scarlet, pink, yellow, orange, and red. While hardy, these are considered short-lived perennials. They are native to subpolar regions of Asia and North America, bringing a cool-climate elegance to the garden.

Iceland Poppies are blooming now!

ANNUAL POPPIES

Papaver rhoeas, Papaver commutatum, Papaver paeoniflorus, Papaver somniferum

The great reseeders of the poppy world are the annual poppies. We grow these from seed, starting them in early to mid-February, and offer them in packs and 2” pots.

After their spring to early summer bloom, annual poppies continue to shine with their sculptural seed pods, extending the season into summer and fall. As the pods ripen, they scatter seeds into the surrounding soil, and new seedlings emerge the following year. In many sunny gardens, annual poppies happily naturalize, creating an effortless, ever-evolving display year after year.

This year we are growing:

Shirley Poppies
Papaver rhoeas, including Double Choice Mix
Select Seed, White Bridal Veil
We are growing the peony flowered poppy in Lauren’s Grape, Hungarian Blue and White Cloud.
Ladybird Poppy, Papaver commutatum, a red flower with a black pattern at the base of each petal. It is a prolific bloomer.
Papaver somniferum, in Imperial Pink and The Giant with a red flower.
Ready to be planted now!
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GROWING & CARE

Plant your poppies in a full sun garden with well drained soil.
They have beautiful seed pods that extend the season beyond bloom.
The annual poppies can be dead headed to extend bloom but at some point let the beautiful seed pods develop and let them ripen on the plant.
Poppies will reseed and you may have lots of little poppy seedlings for years to come.
If they are happy, they will colonize in your garden. It is wonderful when plants colonize! Other plants do this too!

Come to Vineyard Gardens to find out what other plants reseed and colonize in your garden!

SPRING COLOR AND POLLINATORS

April 8, 2026 Karen Logan

Spring Magic

Color & Pollinators in Harmony

(March through Early May)

Are you envisioning bursts of color in your garden this spring, or are you planning with pollinators in mind? The good news is you don’t have to choose. Early spring is a crucial time for pollinators, and your garden can be both a vibrant visual experience and a vital food source for bees, butterflies, and other beneficial insects. With the right mix of native and non-native perennials, you can bring beauty to your space and provide essential early-season nectar and pollen.

Why Early Blooms Matter

Even if your clients (or you!) don’t step into the garden until June, early bloomers are doing essential behind the scenes work long before then. These plants, ephemerals, bulbs, and early perennials, are more than just fleeting spring accents. They are the backbone of a healthy, thriving ecosystem. From the delicate flicker of hoverflies to the gentle hum of bumblebees, many pollinators rely on early nectar and pollen sources to fuel their life cycles. Without these plants, we lose more than just spring color, we lose critical support for wildlife. When designing a garden, striking a balance between beauty and biodiversity is not optional, it’s essential.

Design Tip:

Layer in the Life

Think beyond just blooms. Consider foliage texture, seasonal transitions, and habitat value. Want a shade-loving beauty? Try Tiarella cordifolia (Foamflower) an excellent native ground cover with early blooming flower spikes. Need garden structure? Serviceberry are among the first to feed waking pollinators.

***Dodecatheon meadia (***Shooting Star)

**Arisaema triphyllum** *(Jack-in-the-Pulpit)*

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Spring Pollinator

Favorites

Tried-and-true choices from March to early May

Whether you're designing woodland nooks or sunny borders, these native and non-native favorites offer the perfect mix of early-season color and pollinator appeal:

Arisaema triphyllum (Jack-in-the-Pulpit): mysterious woodland intrigue
Crocus: one of the earliest nectar sources
Dicentra (Bleeding Heart): romantic blooms with pollinator appeal
Epimedium (Barrenwort): dainty blooms and drought-tolerant leaves
Galanthus (Snowdrops): delicate, essential, and deer-resistant
Helleborus (Hellebores): evergreen, long-lived, early blooming elegance
Phlox stolonifera (Woodland Creeping Phlox): low-growing and fragrant
Phlox subulata (Moss Phlox): sun-loving groundcover with vivid blooms
Polygonatum (Solomon’s Seal): native shade lover with graceful arches for woodland charm
Pulmonaria (Lungwort): speckled foliage, nectar-rich flowers
Sanguinaria canadensis (Bloodroot): native woodland wildflower that brings ephemeral beauty to early spring gardens
Tiarella cordifolia (Foamflower): native shade lover with soft texture
Trillium: iconic native wildflower for shady spaces
Zizia aurea (Golden Alexander) : native powerhouse for native bees

Whether you're designing for pollinators, planting for beauty, or ideally both, early spring is a season full of potential. These plants bring life and color when we need it most, and they quietly support the ecosystems that sustain our gardens all year long.

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Spring Steps

Take Action in Your Garden This Spring

Want to make the most of early spring? Here are a few simple steps to support pollinators and boost your garden’s beauty:

Plant in layers: Combine bulbs, perennials, and groundcovers to extend bloom time and visual interest.
Mix natives with non-natives: Ornamental plants are beautiful, but native species are often essential for native insects and ecosystems.
Leave the leaves: Delaying cleanup in early spring gives overwintering insects a chance to emerge safely.
Start small, plant thoughtfully: Even a few additions can make a big difference for early-season pollinators.
Observe and adjust: Watch which plants attract the most activity and build on those magnets next season.

Early spring might feel like a quiet season, but beneath the surface, your garden can be buzzing with life. With just a few intentional choices, you can turn your garden into a seasonal sanctuary, bursting with color, alive with movement, and full of purpose.

What will you

plant this spring?

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NARCISSUS

March 16, 2026 Karen Logan

NARCISSUS

(DAFFODIL)

Narcissus, commonly called Daffodils, are hardy spring flowering perennials that come back year after year. They are harbingers of spring, announcing that winter is coming to an end. The large, yellow common daffodil is one of the most ubiquitous springtime plants. There are 40 different species of Narcissus varying in size and ranging in color from white to yellow. They are a great cut flower.

“Plant daffodils, tulips, hyacinths, and crocuses together at the edge of a path or walkway. As the flowers bloom in succession, they’ll mask each other’s dying foliage.” Gardenista

Vineyard Gardens Nursery Front Garden Bed filled with Narcissus

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GROWING CONDITIONS & CARE

Narcissus are spring blooming bulbs that are best planted in September or October. They go dormant in the winter and will bloom year after year while multiplying.

Flowering bulbs best to plant in autumn
Light: Sun or some shade
Plant in clumps in well drained soil
Deer resistant!!
Flowers should be removed (deadheaded) as they fade.
After flowering, let the leaves die down naturally for at least six weeks before removal.