2020 Intersectional Peony 'Joanna Marlene' from garden*breeze on Ebay

Well, after years of patiently waiting, I am happy to report that my Intersectional Peony 'Joanna Marlene' that I purchased from garden*breeze on Ebay, 2015 Intersectional Peony 'Joanna Marlene' on Ebay is authentic. The beauty and uniqueness of this one is unmistakeable and it matches it's original photo perfectly. This intersectional peony bloomed for me this past week. It wasn't the first time it bloomed, as it did bloom last year, 2019 Intersectional Peony 'Joanna Marlene' Update. However I missed the bloom completely and only got photos of the bud and the remnants of the bloom. However this year, I got some photos of this delicate beauty in all her ruffled, pastel two-toned glory, and I am in love! If you don't grow Intersectional Peony 'Joanna Marlene' yet, take a look at the gorgeous photos below to see what you're missing out on!


Intersectional Peony 'Joanna Marlene'

2020 Tree Peony 'High Noon' with 2 Kinds of Foliage?

Tree Peony 'High Noon' with 2 Kinds of Foliage - 3/27
Have you ever noticed your tree peony have 2 kinds of foliage? If so, you really need to remove one of them. Which one? The one that's not growing from the woody stems. You see, tree peonies are mostly grafted plants, meaning they take a branch from a very large and mature tree peony and graft or meld it to the root of an herbaceous peony. Usually those herbaceous peony roots are grown from some random no-good herbaceous peony seed. They just grow lots of those herbaceous peony seeds to get a large crop of very young (and hopefully vigorous) peony roots on which to graft their tree peony stems.


Tree Peony 'High Noon' with 2 Kinds of Foliage - 3/27

Tree Peony 'High Noon' with 2 Kinds of Foliage - 4/13
Still not sure which foliage to remove? Take a look at the photos. The herbaceous peony foliage is very shiny and slick. The tree peony foliage is more dull and softer. Also take a look at the leaves on each branch of the foliage. The herbaceous peony leaves are more pointed and usually come to a defined tip. The tree peony leaves are more spreading and usually have small cuts in them. Hopefully you've been able to identify which foliage is herbaceous and which foliage is tree peony now. So now all you need to do is cut the herbaceous peony stem or stems all the way down, right at or just below the soil surface.


Tree Peony 'High Noon' with 2 Kinds of Foliage - 4/16

Tree Peony 'High Noon' with 2 Kinds of Foliage - 4/16
If you're curious to see just what kind of flower that herbaceous peony nurse root might make, I have saved you the trouble. I decided to let the herbaceous nurse root bloom this year since it had an obvious bud on it that looked like it would mature. As you can see the flower is nothing to speak of at all. It is very small, very tiny, with very short petals, kind of sad actually. If you think about it, no one is going to graft a beautiful herbaceous peony (and valuable - that they could otherwise sell) to the bottom of a tree peony. So it is really best to remove this herbaceous peony foliage from your tree peony as soon as you notice it, so that any energy stored in that herbaceous root is not lost to the herbaceous foliage, flower, or seed development. You really want that herbaceous nurse root to use all of its energy to help the tree peony grow and become established. Happy Growing!!


Tree Peony 'High Noon' with 2 Kinds of Foliage - 4/21

Tree Peony 'High Noon' with 2 Kinds of Foliage - 4/21

2020 Tree Peony 'Koukamon' Blooms in Week 5 Late Mid Season!

Tree Peony 'Koukamon' 皇嘉門 (Floral Gate)
The weather must be really confusing the peonies this year. My Tree Peony 'Koukamon' 皇嘉門 (Floral Gate) bloomed in Week 5 this year! I have never had a tree peony bloom this late (that wasn't a brand new spring planted addition to the garden). Regardless, I am really enjoying the spacing out of this peony season. I kind of wish it could be like this every year! It looks like this tree peony first bloomed for me in 2018, and it bloomed in Week 2 Early season! So you can see what a difference it has had in the bloom season this year, almost 3 weeks later than normal! Regardless of when this Tree Peony 'Koukamon' blooms, I am grateful for it. This is such a gorgeous tree peony and an awesome shade of purple!


Tree Peony 'Koukamon' 皇嘉門 (Floral Gate)
Blooms in Week 5 Late Mid Season

Tree Peony 'Koukamon' 皇嘉門 (Floral Gate)

2020 Peony 'Festiva Maxima' Southern Peony Best Performer - Week 5

A Southern peony classic, Peony 'Festiva Maxima' is definitely a Southern Peony Best Performer. This peony will grow and multiply so well you will have enough to share with friends and neighbors. You can divide it easily, no problem, and this peony does not skip a beat. It is filled with loads of giant, fluffly double white blooms, with scattered red flecks in its center. The perfume is heavenly - you just can't get enough of its fragrance. The only downside to this peony is that the blooms are so heavy they will lay on the ground unless you stake or tie them up. As you can see I tied mine up after the blooms started to open. Your best bet for keeping these beauties looking their best is a peony cage or plant support ring put out when the foliage is first emerging. Peony 'Festiva Maxima' was hybridized by Miellez and registered in 1851, a true classic!


Peony 'Festiva Maxima'
Southern Peony Best Performer

Peony 'Festiva Maxima'
Southern Peony Best Performer

Peony 'Festiva Maxima'
Southern Peony Best Performer

Peony 'Festiva Maxima'
Southern Peony Best Performer

Peony 'Festiva Maxima'
Southern Peony Best Performer

2020 Intersectional Peony Blooms Week 5 Late Mid

This was definitely the week of the Yellow Intersectional Peony! Compared to last week, 2020 Intersectional Peony Blooms Week 4 Mid, there so many more yellow intersectional peonies opening this week in Week 5! If you like yellow peonies, intersectionals are definitely the way to go. Their are so many to choose from, and they each have their own personality. No matter which one you choose, a yellow intersectional will definitely brighten up a sunny spot in your garden! Cheers!!


Intersectional Peony 'Yellow Emperor'

Intersectional Peony 'Luxuriant'

Intersectional Peony 'Canary Brilliants'

Intersectional Peony 'Sonoma Rosy Future'

Intersectional Peony 'Garden Treasure'

Intersectional Peony 'Ballarena de Saval'

Intersectional Peony 'Bartzella'

Intersectional Peony 'Old Rose Dandy'

Intersectional Peony 'Sequestered Sunshine'

Intersectional Peony 'Sugar Plum Fairy'

2020 Peony Blooms Week 5 Late Mid

Many more of the fully double herbaceous peonies came into bloom this week. I must say this has been an awesome spring so far. The temperate weather and easy temperatures have really slowed down the bloom season this year, giving more time to enjoy the blooms and helping spread out the season. I wouldn't be surprised if we get a week 8 of blooms this year like we did in 2016, Southern Peony Bloom Dates. Peony 'Carl G. Klehm' bloomed for me for the first time this year, and I am really enjoy its unique coloration and the orderliness of its petal pattern.


Peony 'Kansas'

Peony 'Lois Kelsey'

Peony 'Topeka Garnet'

Peony 'Lake o' Silver'

Peony 'Festiva Maxima'

Peony 'Perfect Princess'

Peony 'Carl G. Klehm'

2020 Solarize Peony Bed Soil to Sterilize It

Solarize Peony Bed Soil to Sterilize It
As you may know, it appeared to me that my Intersectional Peony 'Callie's Memory' died of root rot, 2020 Intersectional Peony 'Callie's Memory' Dies of Root Rot? I have no way of knowing for sure, but there weren't any roots left on that peony. There could have been a host of factors that caused its demise. Regardless, it must have rotted in at least some way. So I decided to solarize the soil to kill any pathogens that might still be present there before replanting the area.


Solarize Peony Bed Soil to Sterilize It
To do this I simply placed a clear sheet of plastic over the area and weighted it down with bricks on the edges. After 6-8 weeks the soil should be ready for planting. However I will probably wait much longer than that to replant, most likely until fall to plant my replacement potted Intersectional Peony 'Callie's Memory', 2020 Potted Up Intersectional Peony Roots for Fall Planting. You may remember when I originally started this intersectional peony bed, I solarized the subsoil, 2012 Peony Bed Soil Solarization, before bringing in some 2012 New Dirt for New Peony Beds. I never solarized the new dirt I put on top as top soil. So I suppose now's the time to make sure I solarize it now too. ;-)

2020 ❤ Loving Intersectional Peony 'Gordon E. Simonson'

Intersectional Peony 'Gordon E. Simonson'
I must say I am really loving my Intersectional Peony 'Gordon E. Simonson'. This is the first year it has bloomed for me, and I was pleasantly surprised (maybe more like blown away)! I knew this one had a lot of hype around it, but the hype is real! The color on this one is really purplish too! I was expecting more pinkish. I did an RHS colour chart matching on this one, and I don't currently grow any other named cultivar that is exactly this color. It is quite unique and quite stunning!! The blooms are very large, and the beauty of the flowers just knocks your socks off! The price tag on this intersectional peony is still over $100, but dare I say, this one might actually be worth it!! Check out our 2020 Intersectional Peony Catalog Price Comparison List to see what peony growers are offering this plant for sale this year, if you're interested in snagging an Intersectional Peony 'Gordon E. Simonson' of your own!

2020 Intersectional Peony 'All That Jazz' on Ebay

Intersectional Peony 'All That Jazz' on Ebay
Since I wasn't really sure about the 2020 Ordering Peonies on Etsy from ExoticseedsLatvia peony I ordered, I decided to snag one of these Intersectional Peony 'All That Jazz' I saw on Ebay. I was wondering why the shipping was so high on this one, but then I figured maybe it must be a potted plant. Noticing the description also says, "shipped in container", made it seem like this might be a nice large potted plant. A potted plant seemed like it might have a better chance to be the correct/actual variety. So I decided to take a chance on this ITOH PEONY sold by 1critter4u.


Intersectional Peony 'All That Jazz' from 1critter4u on Ebay
Sure enough, when this thing arrived it was in a massive box, probably 4 feet tall. When it got here I was hoping it might be my 2020 Tree Peony 'Imperial Crown' at Song Sparrow, which hasn't arrived yet. However it was the Intersectional Peony 'All That Jazz' that I'd ordered from Ebay. The description of this one sounds interesting:

"Can host up to 50 softly fragrant blooms at a time at maturity."

"With its thrilling colors and impressive performance, 'All That Jazz' Itoh peony is a cross of its kind - a mix of herbaceous and tree peonies which features the best qualities of its parentage. The luxurious blooms are fully double and often reach 6 inches across. Each gently fragrant blossom is a work of art displaying unique patterns of pale apricot splashed with magenta and up to 50 flowers may appear on the plant at once. Along with its elegant looks, this shrub is also quick resilient and boasts impressive winter hardiness and a lengthy bloomtime."


Intersectional Peony 'All That Jazz'
This Intersectional Peony 'All That Jazz' is a Don R. Smith hybrid. See my interview with Don here, 2016 Peony Hybridizer Interview - Don R. Smith (This peony was also the month of September in the calendar I received recently, 2020 Intersectional Peony Calendar). I'm hoping this is the correct peony variety. As you can see this intersectional peony came fully grown with 8 stems on it, and it does actually have intersectional peony folaige. There do not appear to be any buds on it. Hopefully I can get it planted quickly so that it may establish itself, get happy, and develop a bud or two for next year!! :-)


Intersectional Peony 'All That Jazz' Stems

2020 Tree Peony 'Renown' Blooms in Week 4 Mid Season!

Tree Peony 'Renown'
Either I don't grow enough tree peonies yet, or this tree peony is really mixed up this year. Tree Peony 'Renown' bloomed for me this year for the first time, with 3 blooms, and it bloomed in Week 4 - Mid Season! I couldn't believe it. I just tried looking it up in the APS database to see what season it is supposed to bloom in, and it didn't say, but it did say this, "Reblooms in July – August" Wow! I had no idea that some tree peonies reliably rebloom! I am very curious to see this. I also checked the Adelman Peony Gardens web site where I originally purchased it, and it says it blooms "midseason". So maybe this is the right time for it to bloom. The tree peony had only 1 stem for me last year (the first year it grew), and this year (the second year of growth) it has 4 stems and 3 blooms! I am just blown away!! I can't wait to see what this one does later in the season and how well it grows next year too!


Tree Peony 'Renown'

Tree Peony 'Renown'

Tree Peony 'Renown'

Tree Peony 'Renown'

2020 Peony 'Green Lotus' Southern Peony Best Performer - Week 4

This Peony 'Green Lotus' is like a machine! It is always, always full of blooms every single year. It is a very, very reliable bloomer. The blooms will just stay on the plant and stay on the plant. They are wild and unique and GREEN! I just love this plant!! The blooms like literally never fall off. They will open over time, but eventually every bloom on the plant will be open at the same time. Peony 'Green Lotus' was hybridized by Klehm and registered in 1995. If you want to add a unqiue peony to your garden that's sure to be something different, Peony 'Green Lotus' is it! :-)


Peony 'Green Lotus'
Southern Peony Best Performer

Peony 'Green Lotus'
Southern Peony Best Performer

Peony 'Green Lotus'
Southern Peony Best Performer

2020 Intersectional Peony Blooms Week 4 Mid

I just love, love, love my intersectional peonies. I couldn't help but share all of these gorgeous photos with you. Week 4 has been a busy week in the peony garden, especially for the intersectionals. There are so many different colored beautiful blooms in the garden, it seems like a veritable rainbow!!! If you haven't yet gotten into intersectional peonies, I would highly encourage you to give them a try so you can have a rainbow of color in your garden too! :-) 🌈


Intersectional Peony 'Sonoma Apricot'

Intersectional Peony 'Hillary'

Intersectional Peony 'White Emperor'

Intersectional Peony 'Lafayette Escadrille'

Intersectional Peony 'Smith Family Yellow'

Intersectional Peony 'Unique'

Intersectional Peony 'Lunar Glow'

Intersectional Peony 'Little Darlin''

Intersectional Peony 'Singing in the Rain'