1 With achillea: Papaver orientale ‘Beauty of Livermere’ with Achillea ‘Terracotta’ and Crocosmia ‘Lucifer’
The leaves and flat orange plates of achillea quickly bulk up in the border to disguise the dying foliage of this spent poppy so that only the seedheads reveal its former position.
Although the large, bright overtures of the papaver flowers are over, the clean stalks and the smooth sheen of the seedheads are equally attention-grabbing.
You might expect your eye to fix upon the saturated red of the crocosmia, but the arching line of this plant returns our gaze to the centre of the planting.
Other plants to try in combination with poppies include penstemon or aster; alternatively, try one of the New York poppies (‘Manhattan’, ‘Brooklyn’, etc), bred for longevity of foliage and flower.
