2011 Peony for Mother's Day

I can hardly believe the peony bloom season is pretty much over here. It went by so fast this year. The blossoms were so beautiful for Mother's Day. Here is a bouquet I cut for Mother's Day this year. Guess which one my mom selected as her favorite? That's right. The yellow one, Peony 'Bartzella', and what a beautiful blossom it is. Actually it's pretty much the only peony in my collection that is still in bloom today. So not only does Peony 'Bartzella' have a rare form and color, but it also has an extended bloom season! Awesome!
Mother's Day Peony Bouquet
Mom with Peony 'Bartzella'

2011 Intersectional Peony Blooms

Well another Intersectional Peony bloomed for me this year, and I was ecstatic. This variety is called Peony 'Singing in the Rain', and wow is it fantastic! The blooms are a peachy yellow color, one you won't find in herbaceous peonies. The color range of the petals is awesome. They range from yellow to almost coral and make for a beautiful blossom. See for yourself...
Peony 'Singing in the Rain'
Peony 'Singing in the Rain'

2011 Peony Propagation

I went to the Carolina spring plant swap this weekend. I got lots of nice plants, but there was only 1 peony there. I guess it inspired me to get some peonies together for the next plant swap. If we want to spread the joy of peonies, it is the responsibility of us peony lovers to share what we have with others. In past years I have brought peony roots to the fall swap. Next time I will be sharing peony plants. Here are a few of the seedlings I potted up yesterday so that I can bring them to the next plant swap. So if you love peonies share them! Give a seedling to a neighbor or a piece of your root to your friend or family member! Help us grow the love of peonies!

2011 Heaven on a Peony Flower

Wow! I just went out in my garden this afternoon, and I saw it. Heaven on a flower! Peony 'Lavender' is actually in bloom in MY garden!!! I have been wanting this peony for quite some time, and it is beautiful. I planted it in the Fall of 2009, and this is the first spring it has bloomed with 3 blossoms - well worth the wait. It also seems to be growing quite well in this climate.

Peony 'Lavender'

Peony 'Lavender'

The Great Peony Massacre of 2011

So today I was cleaning up my peonies (late again, I know!), and I actually chopped off one of their heads. If you look at the pink bud in the middle of the picture, you'll notice that it has been decisively severed from its root. So here's the lesson for all of you. If you haven't cut down all of last year's peony stems yet, do it now before this year's stems and blooms are sacrificed. Don't wait too long so that you can prevent unnecessary bud loss. :-)