I have always wanted to grow this gorgeous plant, but here (just west of Toronto) even though I am about 500 yards from Lake Ontario it is HOT HOT HOT and DRY DRY DRY in the summer, so I haven't had the heart to grow them toward certain death. I'd be interested if anyone has had success ...

Brodie

I'm also west of Toronto, about a mile from the lake. I've grown meconopsis (betonicifolia, grandis, and hybrids/selections such as sheldonii, GS600 and a few others). Several grew well and flowered but a few years ago following several prolonged droughts and prolonged watering they all died: the nearby trees had found the well-watered spot and produced a solid mass of roots which had choked the plants and starved them of water. The next time I try meconopsis, they're going into - get this - a bathtub sunk in the ground and drained by pipe to the surface downhill. Tree roots will not be able to grow into the soil, which can then be well-watered and well-drained as it needs to be. A lot of work? Well, yes but the flowers are worth it. Bob

Bob, I'm encouraged that your main challenge was tree roots. It sounds like you kept them going for a few years, anyhow. That would be good enough for me. Does lakeside Toronto have sandy soil? If so, it sounds much like Chicago. I'd have to love a plant a lot to dig a hole big enough to sink a bathtub, but I can see where the meconopsis could rate.