In 1922 , the USSR, BBC and Eskimo Pie all began, the Ottoman Empire ended, and an heroic attempt to scale Mt. Everest failed…
But legendary mountaineer George Leigh Mallory didn’t return to England empty-handed.
Much to the excitement of the Royal Horticultural Society, he discovered something on the slopes of Everest that flower-fanatics would treasure far more than any gold-encased mummy (King Tut’s Tomb was uncovered in 1922 as well)…
A Blue Poppy!
The RHS debuted the flower at its 1926 Spring Show.
If there were any justice in the horticultural world, I believe it should have been named for Mallory, who had tragically perished two years previous, in a return attempt on Everest.
Science prevailed, however, and the ethereal blossom was eventually dubbed..
Meconopsis betonicifolia
AKA the Himalayan Blue Poppy.
I am depending upon you, dear Follower, to remember George Leigh Mallory and whisper his name as you view my photograph.
All Blue Poppies are regarded as rare, but they actually occur so often, the Welsh Blue Poppy is sometimes regarded as a weed.
Himalayan Blue Poppies, however, are treasured, mostly because they are notoriously hard to grow, unless you happen to live in Bhutan, Tibet, Nepal or thereabouts.
So you can imagine my excitement when I learned that a few Meconopsis betonicifolia were being displayed nearby.
I rushed out with my teeny-tiny-flower tripod at Golden Hour and much to my pleasure, the Blue Poppies were being displayed in front of a bank of West-facing windows.
Here’s one result of several. More to come in a bit.
