The best surprise in my garden must be these poppies which have just started to bloom. They are a surprise because I planted them from seed (yes, the tiny poppy seed!) and after they sprouted, they barely grew at all, and I almost pulled them out to make room for "productive" plants! I am so glad I waited, because in the past three weeks or so they have grown tall and set many odd, drooping buds. The first opened two days ago, and was quickly stripped of its petals by heavy rains. I check them every morning for new blooms!