Uncle Richard's Poppy

The boldest, brightest flower in our garden is Uncle Richard's poppy.  Richard was Andy's uncle and a great influence in his life. 

I only had the pleasure of knowing him for a few short years but we were very close from the start.   I think it was because Uncle Richard was a lot like my Dad, a true gentleman.  I never heard him say a bad thing about anyone.  He was always there if you needed him and he teased me mercilessly!  

You would never know it, but Richard had a remarkable life.  Enlisted in the Royal Navy at the age of 15, he was a deep sea diver, complete with lead boots and a diving helmet.   Uncle Richard was one of the very first SCUBA divers, too.  

Uncle Richard loved travelling, ancient churches, Disney films, cats and ICE CREAM!  He also loved his garden and his garden shed.  

When Andy and I bought our house, Uncle Richard gave me a cutting of this  poppy for our garden.   It was one of the first things I planted.  In Uncle Richard's garden, this poppy grew in a tidy mound on straight sturdy stems.  Not one blossom was ever out of line. Uncle Richard wouldn't have allowed it to behave in any other way.  

In our garden, this poppy seeds itself all around, grows tall, lanky and uncontrollable.  It is bright and a bit too gaudy to fit in with the other flowers.  Every time is look at this poppy I think of Uncle Richard.  It always makes me smile.  Uncle Richard is STILL teasing me unmercifully!