Flanders poppies,Papaver rhoeas performs best if sown in late fall in the southern regions of the U.S. The red Flanders poppy was first described as a flower of remembrance by Colonel John McCrae, who was Professor of Medicine at McGill University of Canada before World War One. Colonel McCrae had served as a gunner in the Boer War, but went to France in World War One as a medical Officer with the first Canadian Contingent. Here is a link that might be useful: Waregem, Belgium

Orientals are perennial. They come back year after year and don't seem to be short-lived.

Nature sure is amazing, Annette!! 1. The red poppies that McCrae referred to had been associated with war since the Napoleonic Wars when a writer of that time first noted how the poppies grew over the graves of soldiers. 2. The damage done to the landscape in Flanders during the battle greatly increased the lime content in the soil, leaving the poppy as one of the few plants able to grow in the region. I too have heard it was due to the disturbance of the soil, both by bombs and by graves - how appropriate, really. 3. At the age of 41, McCrae enrolled with the Canadian Expeditionary Force following the outbreak of the First World War. He had the option of joining the medical corps due to his training and age, but volunteered instead to join a fighting unit as a gunner and medical officer. It was his second tour of duty in the Canadian military. He previously fought with a volunteer force in the Second Boer War. He considered himself a soldier first; his father was a military leader in Guelph and McCrae grew up believing in the duty of fighting for his country and empire. McCrae was moved to the medical corps and stationed in Boulogne, France, in June 1915 where he was named lieutenant-colonel in charge of medicine at the Number 3 Canadian General Hospital. He was promoted to the acting rank of Colonel on January 13, 1918, and named Consulting Physician to the British Armies in France. 4. McCrae fought in the second battle of Ypres in the Flanders region of Belgium where the German army launched one of the first chemical attacks in the history of war. Just a personal note, my maternal Grandfather was there, as well. "In Flanders Fields" has attained iconic status in Canada, where it is a staple of Remembrance Day ceremonies and may be the most well known literary piece among English Canadians. It has an official French adaptation, entitled "Au champ d'honneur", written by Jean Pariseau and used by the Canadian government in French and bilingual ceremonies. In addition to its appearance on the ten-dollar bill, the Royal Canadian Mint has released poppy-themed quarters on several occasions. A version minted in 2004 featured a red poppy in the centre and is considered the first multi-coloured circulation coin in the world. Among its uses in popular culture, the line "to you from failing hands we throw the torch, be yours to hold it high" has served as a motto for the Montreal Canadiens hockey club since 1940. The years of war had worn McCrae down, however. He contracted pneumonia that same day, and later came down with cerebral meningitis. On January 28, he died at the military hospital in Wimereux and was buried there with full military honours. The poem was a popular motivational tool in Great Britain, where it was used to encourage soldiers fighting against Germany, and in the United States where it was reprinted across the country. It was one of the most quoted works during the war, used in many places as part of campaigns to sell war bonds, during recruiting efforts and to criticize pacifists and those who sought to profit from the war. American composer Charles Ives used "In Flanders Fields" as the basis for a song of the same name that premiered in 1917. According to legend, fellow soldiers retrieved the poem after McCrae, initially unsatisfied with his work, discarded it. "In Flanders Fields" was first published on December 8 of that year in the London-based magazine Punch. Thanks for playing this week. I let you off easy - yeah, that's what it was, I meant it to be easy. lol. See you next weekend. Nancy.

DG, yes they are some type of berry, they were on the wreath when I bought it at a TS (of course!) Jeanne, they only had 7 of the chargers, so I am still looking for #8. I'm glad you cleared up who sells the poppies as I have not seen them for a long time and oouldn't remember who actually sold them. Jane, I was planning the table and I have some crosses I could have used, but really wanted a white square type and, lo and behold, there it was at the TS and on clearance to boot! Karen, I totally did not know about being a dish addict until you "dragged" me here, LOL!! I'll have to revisit that post. Nana, I snapped them up PDQ I'll tell you. Especially since they were at GW and they have the best prices in town on dishes. Frou, I haven't seen the poppies for sale in a long time, but remember them quite well. Punk, thanks. Here they decorate the graves with small flags. My DGS is planting them at Fort Logan, the military cemetary here, on Sat. AM with his scout troop. Luvs, I like that the table/dish arrangement is different than my usual flag theme type of table that I did last yr. Also, I had to use the poem as it ties the dishes into the theme. TTFN, Candy