Hi PF do you mean cast iron in the shape of poppy heads? I can't see how the could be used as bird feeders and don't think you'll be able to drill holes easily, are you sure they aren't just grade ornaments? A photo would be helpful... I see Gardman is selling, but they look like a gimmick to me.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/s/?ie=UTF8&keywords=gardman+poppy+bird+feeder&tag=mh0a9-21&index=aps&hvadid=6305253951&hvqmt=b&hvbmt=bb&hvdev=c&ref=pd_sl_8ujcu2ziuw_b

They are pretty, but useless ornaments. Ours fill up with water which the birds do not drink. Nice to look at though.

You can drill cast iron and it shouldn't crack. I was tempted to get some until my OH pointed out they'd need drilling. and whilst he was happy to do so I didn't want them to be 'defaced'. It is such a shame that they hadn't thought of this.
but they make lovely ornaments and on dry days will do the job.

I should have said they were cast iron poppy flowers, Moongrower. They are available in garden centres around here. As I thought, Owdboggy, they will fill up with water unless drilled, but my neighbour thought they would crack so I hesitate to do it. It's disappointing to hear that the birds don't drink from them. I'm glad you think they could be drilled, SBG. Perhaps I'll risk one. Another suggestion was to use them for sugar-water for bees. Is this helpful to bees or would it do more harm than good?

Keep seeing them as ornaments PF, the bees will not appreciate them filled with sugar water... and it will rapidly become polluted. Given that there are any number of 'good' usable bird feeders on the market I can only see these as a gimmick designed to part someone from their hard earned cash... I avoid all these things like the plague and, thankfully, so do my gardening friends! Sorry no judgement meant!

We rather like them and since they were less than half price we stuck one of each in the gravel garden.

Each Owdb. there are more? Thank goodness we all like different things otherwise our lives would be extremely boring! We used to have a neighbour who had old sanitary ware planted up in his garden, looked odd to use but he liked. The next people to buy rapidly got rid of it all :) Gawd know what the next folk who live here will do, at least we had a blank canvas to play with.

Thanks for all these comments. I've often looked at these striking poppies in the garden centres but have resisted buying, as I've always thought you would need at least 3. They are growing on me, although I don't usually go in for garden ornaments.(Having said that I have a 2ft Chinese mandarin by my arbour, (another gift, a few years ago!) I love poppies though, so now I will spend a few days deciding where to place them. If the birds here will drink from them, Owdboggy that will be a bonus!

I think these became popular when there was a huge amount of them as a memorial for Remembrance Sunday, Look stunning grouped, but I think someone just decided that rather an ornament, why not call them bird feeders? I would think they would be slippery for the birds, whether for water or food. Mind you the RSPB have 'cups' on sticks for feeders, though these do have drainage holes.

hi Honeysuckle,
I'm sure you're right and I agree about the group but I won't be buying more iron poppies as I'd rather use the garden budget to buy plants and compost! I've seen the cups on sticks and do have a weakness for flowery bone china, but it looks better on the tea table!