Papaver orientale Snow Goose

The Papaver Orientale 'Snow Goose' is one of the most decorative Oriental poppies. Its green foliage, highly dissected, is particularly ornamental and forms a well-balanced clump. It produces a bright flowering from May to July that illuminates the flower beds. Large white corollas appear, formed by two rows of petals. Those in the centre are adorned with a purple macule, creating a superb contrast, accentuated by the also purple heart. This perennial plant thrives in full sun and can easily grow in well-drained soil. It also withstands summer drought well, with its foliage disappearing during this period and reappearing in autumn.

The Poppy or Papaver is a member of the Papaveraceae family, which includes 42 genera and 775 species, including many beautiful flowers such as the Romneya coulteri, or Tree Poppy, with impressive dimensions. The Oriental Poppy or Tournefort's Poppy is a perennial plant native to Asia Minor, introduced in France in the early 18th century. The botanical species grows from the Caucasus to Iran, passing through Turkey, where it forms perennial clumps, with the aboveground part dying in winter and reappearing in spring. Each wild plant develops a few villous stems, emerging from a compact tuft of dissected leaves, each bearing a solitary flower, primarily red, sometimes white, orange, or lavender. Flowering is interrupted in late May or July due to the prevailing heat in these regions.
The variety 'Snow Goose' stands out for its original colour combination, which is very "stylish". This beautiful perennial forms a clump of intense green leaves, more or less dark, about thirty centimetres in height and width. Elongated, the leaves are highly dissected, similar to some ferns, and have real ornamental qualities. From the clump of leaves, solid stems rise from May, each carrying a solitary flower. Two distinct rows of petals form the double corolla. The central crown is erect, while the outer row spreads almost horizontally. The petals are slightly crumpled, giving them a romantic grace. They are pure white but can sometimes show a very slight pale pink reflection. Each petal of the central crown bears a dark purple macule in its middle part, which joins the purple heart, consisting of female floral parts surrounded by a circle of stamens (male parts). The overall effect is highly architectural and seems to draw a new flower within the flower. Each flower is clear and contrasting, with a short lifespan, but they renew regularly, creating a refined scene in the garden.

The 'Snow Goose' Poppy will be perfect in a mixed flower bed with other perennials. You can pair it with other plants whose foliage or flowering will take over in midsummer to hide its absence. In the foreground, plant Armeria, or Spanish Daisy, a small creeping perennial that produces pompoms of white, pink, or red flowers depending on the variety, from May to September, with just a short pause in August. Little known despite its ornamental qualities, the Belamcanda chinensis, or Leopard Lily, is a rhizomatous perennial that offers splendid star-shaped orange flowers speckled with reddish-brown in summer. The Centaurea dealbata Steenbergii is a Mountain Bluet with very bright magenta flowers, blooming from July to September and thus extending the interest of your flower bed until autumn.