I like to include flowers in my vegetable garden.

I could say that the reason is that they attract pollinators, which in turn help to fertilize my vegetables.

But, the real reason is that I think they are just pretty.

Every year, I grow bachelor’s button in my garden because I love their bright, blue flowers.

This year, I threw some red poppy seed into the garden.

Seriously….I didn’t even cover it with soil or designate a certain area for it.  I simply threw it in there on a whim.

Just last week, they began to bloom.

I love the way their unopened blossoms gracefully droop downward, don’t you?

And I must say, that I am just overwhelmed at how beautiful they are….

Red Poppy (Papaver rhoeas)

I will definitely collect the seeds so that I can plant them again next year.

How about you?

Have you ever grown poppies?