2014 Peony 'Morning Lilac' Best Performer - Week 4

Just the purple color would be enough, but that's not all. Peony 'Morning Lilac' was loaded with blooms this year that just kept coming. The flowers are huge, up to 7" in size. The foliage is strong and green, and makes a nice bush on which the up facing flowers sit atop. Peony 'Morning Lilac' is an intersectional peony (a cross between a tree peony and an herbaceous peony) with the best characteristics from both worlds - a strong grower and a wider range of flower color. The blooms are beautiful to look at with dark purple flares emanating from a golden ring of stamens at the center. For unbeatable purple color, reliable blooms, and a strong growing peony that you'll soon be able to divide and share, Peony 'Morning Lilac' is a great choice for Southern gardens.
Peony 'Morning Lilac'
Southern Peony Best Performer


Peony 'Morning Lilac'
Southern Peony Best Performer

2014 Peony Blooms - Mid - Week 4

Lots of double and bomb type peonies started opening this week. If you take a look at last week's 2014 Peony Blooms - Early Mid - Week 3 peony pictures, you'll notice lots of variation in color, but the majority of the flowers were the single type peonies. Now this week we've got big fluffy doubles like Peony 'Mrs. Franklin D. Roosevelt', some anemone type flowers like Peony 'Top Hat' and Peony 'Gay Paree', and bomb type peonies like Peony 'Ann Berry Cousins' and Peony 'Etched Salmon'. There are also some single peonies still opening like Peony 'America'. Enjoy!

Peony 'Top Hat'	Peony 'America'
Peony 'Mrs. Franklin D. Roosevelt'	Peony 'Ann Berry Cousins'
Peony 'Etched Salmon'	Peony 'Gay Paree'

2014 Chinese Tree Peony Seeds from Ebay Sprouted

As I said in my last post about peony seedlings, Peony Seedlings from Cricket Hill - P. Rockii, Ebay seems to be the place to buy peony seeds. This is a photo of the Chinese tree peony seedlings that sprouted from the peony seeds I bought on Ebay in the fall. Here is what they looked like when the Chinese Tree Peony Seeds Started to Sprout in March. So as you can see they have grown quite a bit since then. Also there are several more varieties growing now. In March only two of the varieties had sprouted, the blue (P3) and the green (P4). Now 5 out of the 6 colors have sprouted - black (P2), blue (P3), green (P4), pink (P5), and red (P6). The only seeds that haven't sprouted from this group are the white (P1). Aside from the white seeds which didn't germinate, the germination rates ranged from 10% (2 out of 20) for the red to 40% (8 out of 20) for the blue. The overall germination rate was 20% (24 out of 120). However considering the price I paid for these Chinese Tree Peony Seeds from Ebay ($2.50, shipping included), I think that's an awesome deal for 24 baby tree peonies. :-)

2014 First Unique Herbaceous Peony Seedling Blooms

Peony Seedling of Peony 'Pink Princess'	Peony Seedling of Peony 'Lady Alexandra Duff'

Well, my First Peony Seedlings bloomed for the first time this year. How exciting to see unique peony blooms that no one else has seen before. I can't say they are the best blooms I've ever seen, but they definitely are colorful. They are also certainly fun to watch open. The first peony seedling to bloom is a seedling of Peony 'Pink Princess', and the second peony seedling to bloom is a seedling of Peony 'Lady Alexandra Duff'. As you can see there are still lots more buds that have yet to open. So I am still very excited to see all of the new peony faces that have yet to greet me. If nothing else, it makes me want to grow more peonies from seed! Even if the majority of these peonies do not turn out to be registration worthy peonies, at least I will have lots of peonies to share at the fall garden swap, just another way to share my love of peonies. :-)
Peony Seedling Bed Blooms on the First Day


Peony Seedling Bed Blooms on the Second Day

2014 Intersectional Peony Blooms - Early Mid - Week 3

I am so so so excited! I love intersectional peonies, and the peonies I planted in my 2012 Intersectional Peony Garden Planting have done really well this year. I have really been amazed at how fast they grow when they are planted in full sun and decent soil. This is only the second spring for these peonies, and they are so huge! Here are my favorite intersectional peony blooms from this week, week 3. Peony 'Lil Darlin' and Peony 'Julia Rose' both bloomed for the first time for me this spring. Peony 'Pastel Splendor' and Peony 'Morning Lilac' have both bloomed in previous years. Their blooms are just so lovely, and since purple is my favorite color, Peony 'Morning Lilac' is one of my favorite intersectional peonies. Peony 'Julia Rose' also has a very interesting coloration with lots of variation in the petals themselves and over time as the blooms age. If you'd like to add some intersectional peonies to your garden this year, you may find this 2014 Intersectional Peony Catalog Price Comparison List that I compiled helpful. :-) Happy gardening!

Intersectional Peony 'Pastel Splendor'	Intersectional Peony 'Morning Lilac'
Intersectional Peony 'Lil' Darlin'	Intersectional Peony 'Julia Rose'