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Red poppy field in Dorset - 2021.

A giant field of red poppies in Dorset under a moody sky – Summer 2021.

As I write this, I had hoped to be able to show a lot more photos of red poppy fields in Dorset but, sadly, there don’t seem to be as many red poppies this year – not in large quantities, anyway.

Having travelled far and wide throughout the county in search of these beautiful and elusive flowers, up until the end of June I had drawn a blank. During that time I must have clocked up several hundred miles looking, and it seems barely anyone else found any in Dorset either.

What has happened to Dorset’s red poppy fields this year? Is it the weather, different farming methods, or perhaps the flowers are just self-isolating!

Until recently, the only red poppy field that I knew about in Dorset was the one at Badbury Rings, near Wimborne. That said, that particular poppy field has been ‘commercialised’ by the National Trust (well, I think it has). Trees have been planted, areas fenced off with paths, and signs advertise “Poppy field parking”. Additionally, there are nowhere near as many poppies in there as there have been in the last couple of years, as many other plants have taken over. In fact, I’d be surprised to see this field being worth a visit at all in 2022.

Dorset poppies – at last!

On 30th June I found my first Dorset red poppy field – finally! There was no access to the field, but it was still a beautiful view of red poppies scattered amongst the wheat.

Dorset red poppies in a field.

Dorset red poppies growing amongst a field of wheat.

In late July, quite by chance I discovered a huge field of red poppies, stretching off into the Dorset countryside for almost as far as the eye could see. This was an totally unexpected and wonderful sight, especially so late in the poppy season.

I do love colour combination of the green seed heads against the red of the flowering field poppies. For anyone wondering, this was a permission visit.

Huge Dorset red poppy field 2021.

A huge, Dorset poppy field, with red poppies stretching almost as far as the eye can see.

Wiltshire poppy fields

In June, the best red poppy fields I found were actually over the border in Wiltshire, where I spotted four of them in one day. In the one where I chose to take my photos (see below), handily, a man was doing some fencing there, so I was able to get permission to go in to the field to take photos.

Red poppy field Wiltshire.

A beautiful red poppy field in Wiltshire.

Field of red poppies Wiltshire.

A field of red poppies in Wiltshire.

Wiltshire red poppies in a field.

Red poppies in a Wiltshire field.