[gardening]
A Passion for Poppies
Durango artist creates floral-inspired paintings BY EVA ROSE MONTANE || ABUNDANTEARTHGARDENS.COM || GARDENING@COLORADOCOUNTRYLIFE.ORG
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It seems impossible to resist the sumptuous blooms of the Oriental poppy. But some of us are more taken by their beauty than others. Elizabeth Kinahan is one such woman. Kinahan is a Durango artist who has a copious collection of Oriental poppy paintings, and they are every bit as alluring as the living specimens themselves. Kinahan fell in love with poppies the first time she saw them, when she moved to Durango seven years ago. Painting floral subjects was outside her range of skill until she was commissioned to paint them. That was three years ago. She has since completed more than 40 poppy paintings. “I have been infatuated with the poppy image for years,” Kinahan says. “Their bright, translucent petals, and the proud and exuberant spirit they possess entice me to track them down every spring for paintings. Traditionally, they have been a symbol of the dream state, a transcendence of the physical world to a higher plane of consciousness. In the last century, they have come to represent those fallen in battle, serving as a reminder of our lost loved ones. For me, they have come to represent gratitude, joy and awareness and are the only subject that I paint for pure joy, their lighthearted flutter the harbinger of my favorite season. “ Although the deep orange is by far the most common variety I see as I nose around gardens in Durango at 6,500 feet, Denver at 5,200 feet and all the way up to Telluride and Crested Butte at 8,000 and 9,000 feet, there are other spectacular colors that are just as hardy. They include a bright lighter orange, true red, plum and bright deep pink. But the ones that most dazzle me are the pale pink and white varieties. Poppies perform best in colder climates and in most soils, including clay. And deer dislike them, so they’re a terrific choice for Colorado gardens. Plant these stellar beauties in the fall to enjoy their blooms in the springtime. If you plant them in the spring
you won’t see them until the following spring. Some of my favorite poppy companions are hummingbird mints, Ozark sundrops and Maximillian sunflowers. They have varying heights, but they have similar cultural requirements and are also considered deer-resistant, therefore they’re a good fit in the same bed as the impressive poppy. See Kinahan’s collection of poppy paintings at elizabeth kinahan.com.
Eva Rose Montane is a garden coach, consultant and designer. Read more gardening advice at coloradocountrylife. coop. Click on Living in Colorado and then Gardening.
ColoradoCountryLife.coop 22 September 2012