Poppy (Papaver)
I knew about poppies (Papaver lapponicum) from my garden in Palmer, where the previous owner had planted them along the driveway. I collected some of the plants and brought them with me wherever I've gone. Those Lapland poppies have been sturdy and require no care whatsoever. Then we went out to Tuluksak, where I grew wildflowers and saw that the Flanders poppy in that mix came up well - again, not as full sized as they are in Europe and the Lower 48, but still beautiful. Ever since, I've been buying and experimenting with a variety of poppies and had success with most.
Some of the best species for flowers are Papaver somniferum and Papaver orientale. I've also grown Alpine poppies (Papaver alpinum) with some success, but I think the problem was that they were grown in loose soil in partial shade; I'll bet they'll do better in a rock garden.
I'll keep trying new varieties, too. You can see that these have worked out real well.
