Himalayan Blue Poppies

I made the two hour drive to Longwood Gardens today to see these spectacular flowers which only bloom for 10-14 days and will soon be gone.  

From their website: 
"Once considered a myth, blue-poppies (Meconopsis ‘Lingholm’) are alive and thriving at Longwood Gardens. These spectacular flowers—which are native to the high elevations of the Himalayan Mountains—reside in our Conservatory where temperatures are kept cool to make the plants comfortable during their flowering season.

At Longwood, we force the blue-poppies to flower every year in March. This cultivar, 'Lingholm', produces large flowers that are four-inches in diameter on average. The substantial petals are a mesmerizing deep sky blue color.  When under stress, the plant may show a mauve tint.

Blue-poppies are infrequently cultivated outside their native habitat. Given the right conditions, however, they can thrive in gardens located in the northern regions of the U.S. and Europe."

Some of the flowers were a bit purple today because the temperatures are warming.