Anzac poppies wrecked by rain

Pauline and Peter Enticott were to have been delivering a consignment of flowering Flanders poppies to Te Ahu in Kaitaia today, in time for tomorrow's opening of its Anzac commemorative display, but that wasn't looking likely yesterday.

Sunday's heavy rain, which fell while the couple were in Auckland, devastated the plants they had grown at their nursery, Lake Ngatu Plantations, leaving them drooping and all but devoid of blooms.

The seeds were imported from Europe, and a dummy run last spring suggested all would go well.

"They were brilliant, for about two weeks," Pauline said.

"The flowers (which only last one day) just kept coming. And these ones were just luscious last week."

Given that the second crop was being grown out of season she and Peter hadn't been counting their chickens prematurely, but Sunday's rain cloudburst had not been expected, although even without the rain the humidity would have done the plants no favours.

Pauline and Peter were moving the plants around yesterday morning, following the sun, in the hope that they would revive, but more in hope than expectation. They would probably give the poppies another go next year, however, Peter said, armed with the knowledge that they would need protection from autumn downpours.

Anzac at Te Ahu - page 3