Pale pink poppies

I have always loved the fragile beauty of poppies in the fields or hedgerows - a classic sign of summer- but up until a few weeks ago, had only ever seen the scarlet variety.

Last weekend, I spied some dusky pink poppies at my friend's house in the country and today, walking with my niece in the fields behind the house, we came upon an endless expanse of pale pink poppies. Surprising in both their beauty and originality.

Even more bizarre, dotted around in the midst of this mass of palest pink, were a few of the scarlet originals. They looked like they had not been given the correct dress code.