This is probably one of the craziest things I've ever seen.When we first bought our house 10 years ago, there was an incredibly overgrown Texas previt in the side garden that towered above the second story roof line (they're supposed to be hedges). We took the previt out around year 2, but the trunk and root were so large it defied stump grinding, and the plant was so obnoxious it literally poisoned the soil and robbed all the nutrients.
I'd pulled the offensive beast out, but now what to do? Nothing could grow - except plants that like cruddy soil. In went a box of wildflower seeds, and we started the long, slow process of root decomposition and soil conditioning; we eventually drilled holes in the remaining root and filled them with a nitrite powder; the New Zealand tree fern now fills the old previt space.
Meanwhile, we a had a gorgeous crop of spring wildflowers every year - and a lot of clean-up in July after they all pooped! As the soil recovered, I started planting more bones, but the wildflowers come up each year much to our delight.
Our neighbors bought a house down the street, and the front yard was dirt. Linley put in a selection of seeds including European and California poppies. Each year his garden erupts in hip-high, fancy European poppies. Diane sprinkled some seeds in our bed, and they came up.
Although I sowed some designer poppies a few years ago (blood red, yellow, and butter), I have never seen a pink, frilled California poppy. I swear it is a cross between the two. Imagine my surprise when I found this in the garden!
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