2014 Peony Blooms - Very Early - Week 1

My first peony blooms of the season were much anticipated this year as I wondered when the tree peonies that were newly planted last fall would bloom. Their buds swelled for weeks as I watched them with excitement, wondering if they would open before the herbaceous peonies. However herbaceous Peony 'Early Scout' was once again the front runner in the peony bloom race this year. Also Peony 'Halcyon' was a very early surprise that bloomed for me for the first time this year. It is always nice to expand the selection of Week 1 peony blooms. Tree Peony 'Fragrant Jade' was the first of my newly planted tree peonies to bloom. Peony 'Firelight' is always an early bloomer and such a delight! Here are some of my favorite blooms pictures from my peony blooms week 1. Enjoy!

Peony 'Early Scout'	Peony 'Halcyon'
Tree Peony 'Fragrant Jade'	Peony 'Firelight'

2014 First Tree Peony Bloom Ever! Peony 'Fragrant Jade'

Tree Peony 'Fragrant Jade' (Xiang Yu) in the Rain
Yay! The first tree peony to ever bloom in my garden bloomed for the first time yesterday. It was Peony 'Fragrant Jade' (Xiang Yu). I am so excited to see how these tree peonies I've planted grow and develop over time. The first bloom on this plant was a semi-double bloom. I suspect as the tree peony matures the blooms will develop into their more fully double blossom. The first day it bloomed, it was raining. So I got another picture of it today. Perhaps the flower is as fragrant as it is named. It seems a bumble bee was so entranced by its fragrance, it never left the blossom and lived its final moments in the fluffiness of the soft white petals. I tried to sample its fragrance myself, but I'm afraid the previous days' rain may have washed away most of the scent. I guess I'll wait for the next bloom, as there is one more bud on this tree peony!
Tree Peony 'Fragrant Jade' (Xiang Yu) with Bumble Bee

2014 First Spring Peony Bloom - Peony 'Early Sout'

Peony 'Early Scout' in Bud
This peony has once again made its way out of the ground and produced a bloom long before any other peony in my garden. This is a reliable plant, and the vibrant red is just so gorgeous. Peony 'Early Scout' bloomed today on April 12th to once again be the first peony to bloom in my garden. It was also the first to bloom last year, 2013 First Bloom of the Year - Peony 'Early Scout'! This very early, low-growing peony even beat out my newly planted tree peonies, a couple of which have big, fat buds just waiting to open. Tree peonies are supposed to bloom earlier than herbaceous peonies. So I wasn't sure exactly when in my herbaceous bloom period they would actually bloom. I usually have about 7 weeks of peony bloom here. So it seems like the tree peonies will probably overlap with the early herbaceous peony bloom period. I hope spring is starting in your garden too! :-)
Peony 'Early Scout' in Bloom

2014 Questions - Transplanting Peonies in the Spring

I received this question from Bahiyyah in zone 7:
"Hello, I love your blog, I have a question for you. I know transplanting in the spring is not best, but I had no choice. Now I have over 100 peonies to replant. Some are very young with only 3-5 eyes. I know to plant those whole. But what about the ones that have large root masses, but only 3 eyes showing. Is it problematic to replant those whole? I remember reading that once dug up peonies prefer to be split to grow properly. Should I trim some root off those. For a visual imagine 8 big juice carrot sized roots, with only three tiny eyes. Also, do you have any tips for soil amending when planting? I have access to leaf mulch, wood chips, well aged horse manure, worm compost and regular compost. Thank you for any and all advice you can offer"

Thank you for such a nice compliment! You are correct in stating that spring is not the ideal season to transplant peonies. Fall is the best season for moving and dividing peonies. However spring is much better than summer, especially if the peonies have not yet sprouted (which is what it sounds like you are describing when you mention that your peonies have eyes - instead of foliage growth). You may notice some reduction in blooms this year, but provided these peonies are replanted in a good location with plenty of sun and nice soil, they should recover nicely. If any of your peonies had enough stems last year to divide (at least 7-8 stems), then you can go ahead and divide those peonies. However if your peonies didn't have very many stems last year and only have 3 eyes with large roots, I would not divide those peonies. Also it isn't necessary to remove any of the storage roots before planting unless you feel need to remove them for some other reason (ex. unwieldy for planting, unmanageable for transporting, diseased, etc.)

As far as soil amendments, I would recommend the leaf mulch and compost and mixing it well into the soil. The horse manure could also be used, but it definitely shouldn't be applied directly to the roots or crown of the plant. The wood chips could be used as a mulch/top dressing only to prevent weed growth. However it is not recommended to mix these into the planting hole, as they can inhibit the peony root's access to nitrogen.

2014 First Peony Seedlings to Bloom This Spring!

Well, it almost happened last spring. I had my First Peony Seedling with a Developing Bud last spring, and sadly it never matured, First Peony Seedling Develops Immature Bud. However this year, I'm sure I will see some original blooms from my peony seedling bed. There are already 4 different plants with buds on them and the buds are growing larger by the day! Last year the peony plant with a bud on it was a seedling of 'Lady Alexandra Duff'. This year, there are two peony plants from 'Pink Princess' and two peony plants from 'Lady Alexandra Duff' with buds on them. So there are at least 4 plants with buds on them already. Some of the peony seedlings' foliage is still emerging so there may be more buds to come. I am so excited to see my first blooms from peonies I grew from seed from my own garden. I will definitely keep you posted on the progress and will be sure to post photos of the blooms as well!
2008 Peony Seedlings


Peony Seedling Buds