Wild Red Poppy

 Papaver rhoeas The classic , delicate single red poppy that came to symbolise Remembrance Day after it sprang up all over the ground disturbed by the Trenches in Belgium and France in the First World War. It can stay dormant under the soil for many years and only germinates when exposed to light. This is also why it is known as the 'cornfield poppy' in this country because the ground is ploughed and re-seeded for grain crops. And that tells you how to grow the seed yourself - just sprinkle on the surface of the compost or soil and keep moist but un-covered. This is also the case with many other plants with fine seed.