Propagation Month, Day 19: Direct-Seeding Cosmos and California Poppies

I've been neglecting my front yard lately while I've been working in the back yard. I took out the lawn in the front last year and replanted with a variety of drought-tolerant plants and three dwarf citrus trees and although there are some things in bloom right now (some apricot-colored poppies, white Pacific coast iris, purple and white tulips, orange gazanias, and white calla lilies), overall it's lacking in color. More orange, I'm thinking, is what's needed. So today I spread around liberal amounts of California poppy seeds and less generous amounts of Cosmos seeds. These Cosmos, called Little Ladybirds and Cosmic Orange, only grow to about 1 1/2 feet tall but if they're anything like the other types of Cosmos I've grown, the butterflies and bees will love them.

In Flanders Fields

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

This poem by Canadian poet John McCrae was published in 1915, in the midst of World War I. Although it was originally used as a recruiting tool, in recent years it has often been interpreted as an anti-war statement.

Bloom Report

Just some quick coverage of a couple notable blooms currently in my garden:

Finally! An actual sweet pea! I planted these seeds on April 25, so it took almost three months to get to this point. I thought they would grow much faster, but so far the tallest plants are only about 3 feet high and there aren't very many buds. It might be that this spot does not get quite enough sun. Can anyone tell me if these reseed themselves easily, or do I need to make a point of saving the seeds?

The red oriental poppies are blooming away now and one of the plants has white spots in the center, which make them even more attractive. I think poppies are going to be permanent residents in my garden.

Poppy!

I was beginning to think they'd never bloom. But this morning I went out back to find this beautiful poppy. Just the one bloom so far, but there are several more buds on this plant. I sowed seeds for both Shirley Poppies and Oriental Poppies in this bed. I believe the black splotches at the center mean this is an Oriental.