2015 Signs of Spring, Tree Peony Foliage

Tree Peony 'Li Yuan Chun'
I took these pictures just before the weekend, and as you can see the tree peonies are starting to show their first signs of spring. The foliage is beginning to sprout, which only makes me yearn for spring even more. However now is not the best time for the tree peonies to begin to sprout, since we have a big winter storm headed our way this week with some crazy low temperatures predicted for several nights as well. I am curious to see how this weather impacts all of my peonies, especially the tree peonies. I am new to growing tree peonies, so the ones I do have aren't very well established. So this may be a hard winter on them. I'm hoping none of them die, and they all make it! Perhaps if we have a decent groundcover of snow and ice that will help protect the lower halves of the peonies from the extreme temperatures. Right now the lowest prediction I've seen is -2°F! Yikes!

Tree Peony 'Li Yuan Chun'	Tree Peony 'Li Yuan Chun'

Tree Peony 'Li Yuan Chun'

2015 Intersectional Peony Catalog Price Comparison List

Wow. I can't believe it's that time of year already. The peony catalogs are already up online, and things are selling out already. It seems like most peony growers have their catalogs out early this year. So I decided to go ahead and publish this 2015 Intersectional Peony Catalog Price Comparison List. This is the third year I've collected this information. I think for the most part Intersectional Peonies are becoming more affordable. There are a couple vendors who raise their prices each year, but most of them become less costly as inventories of intersectional peonies increase. Enjoy! (Also if you'd like your company to be listed here, please join the American Peony Society as a Commercial Member, since this is where I obtain my peony grower information.)

Price Change from Last Year Adelman - mostly same or lower Bannister - same Birchwood - same Blossom Hill - mostly lower or same Brooks - mostly same or lower Buck Canyon - same Cricket Hill - mostly lower Fina - mostly higher Hidden Springs - mostly higher or same Hollingsworth - mostly higher or same Peony's Envy - same Solaris Farms - same Song Sparrow - same or higher Swenson - mostly lower or same

Intersectional Peony	Price	Vendor
Al's Choice	$125.00	Swenson
Ballarena de Saval	$70.00	Adelman
Bartzella	$45.00	Solaris Farms
Bartzella	$50.00	Swenson
Bartzella	$65.00	Fina
Bartzella	$69.00	Cricket Hill
Bartzella	$75.00	Brooks
Bartzella	$75.00	Buck Canyon
Bartzella	$79.00	Peony's Envy
Bartzella	$79.00	Hidden Springs
Bartzella	$80.00	Adelman
Bartzella	$85.00	Birchwood
Bartzella	$90.00	Hollingsworth
Bartzella	$90.00	Song Sparrow
Bartzella	C$135.00	Blossom Hill
Berry Garcia	$125.00	Brooks
Border Charm	$35.00	Swenson
Border Charm	$40.00	Adelman
Border Charm	$40.00	Brooks
Border Charm	$45.00	Birchwood
Border Charm	$60.00	Song Sparrow
Callie's Memory	$50.00	Swenson
Callie's Memory	$55.00	Solaris Farms
Callie's Memory	$75.00	Adelman
Callie's Memory	$75.00	Brooks
Canary Brilliants	$50.00	Swenson
Canary Brilliants	$70.00	Adelman
Canary Brilliants	$79.00	Peony's Envy
Canary Brilliants	$90.00	Solaris Farms
Chief Black Hawk	$225.00	Brooks
Copper Kettle	$80.00	Solaris Farms
Cora Louise	$60.00	Adelman
Cora Louise	$60.00	Birchwood
Cora Louise	$60.00	Buck Canyon
Cora Louise	$50.00	Swenson
Cora Louise	$54.00	Hollingsworth
Cora Louise	$74.00	Hidden Springs
Cora Louise	$79.00	Peony's Envy
Cora Louise	$85.00	Song Sparrow
Cora Louise	$89.00	Cricket Hill
Court Jester	$50.00	Swenson
First Arrival	$45.00	Solaris Farms
First Arrival	$50.00	Swenson
First Arrival	$56.00	Hollingsworth
First Arrival	$60.00	Adelman
First Arrival	$60.00	Buck Canyon
First Arrival	$79.00	Peony's Envy
First Arrival	$89.00	Cricket Hill
First Arrival	$125.00	Bannister
First Arrival	C$100.00	Blossom Hill
Garden Treasure	$40.00	Solaris Farms
Garden Treasure	$50.00	Swenson
Garden Treasure	$60.00	Fina
Garden Treasure	$68.00	Birchwood
Garden Treasure	$75.00	Brooks
Garden Treasure	$75.00	Hidden Springs
Garden Treasure	$80.00	Adelman
Garden Treasure	$80.00	Bannister
Garden Treasure	$80.00	Buck Canyon
Garden Treasure	$80.00	Hollingsworth
Garden Treasure	$89.00	Cricket Hill
Garden Treasure	$89.00	Peony's Envy
Garden Treasure	C$130.00	Blossom Hill
Going Bananas	$40.00	Adelman
Going Bananas	$75.00	Swenson
Going Bananas	C$90.00	Blossom Hill
Gordon E. Simonson	$215.00	Hollingsworth
Gordon E. Simonson	$225.00	Adelman
Hidden Treasure	$40.00	Solaris Farms
Hillary	$50.00	Adelman
Hillary	$50.00	Buck Canyon
Hillary	$50.00	Hollingsworth
Hillary	$50.00	Swenson
Hillary	$55.00	Fina
Hillary	$75.00	Solaris Farms
Hillary	$85.00	Song Sparrow
Japanese Itoh	$35.00	Swenson
Joanna Marlene	$75.00	Swenson
Joanna Marlene	$80.00	Adelman
Julia Rose	$50.00	Swenson
Julia Rose	$70.00	Brooks
Julia Rose	$75.00	Adelman
Julia Rose	$75.00	Solaris Farms
Julia Rose	$79.00	Solaris Farms
Julia Rose	$80.00	Song Sparrow
Julia Rose	C$125.00	Blossom Hill
(Anderson's) Kaleidoscope	$50.00	Swenson
Kaleidoscope	$75.00	Buck Canyon
Kaleidoscope	$95.00	Brooks
Kaleidoscope	$125.00	Hidden Springs
Kopper Kettle	$99.00	Adelman
Lafayette Escadrille	$60.00	Song Sparrow
Lemon Dream	$45.00	Adelman
Lemon Dream	$45.00	Brooks
Lemon Dream	$45.00	Buck Canyon
Lemon Dream	$45.00	Solaris Farms
Lemon Dream	$50.00	Swenson
Little Darlin	$60.00	Birchwood
Little Darlin	$60.00	Song Sparrow
Lollipop	$75.00	Solaris Farms
Love Affair	$150.00	Adelman
Love Affair	$160.00	Hollingsworth
Lunar Glow	$100.00	Adelman
Luxuriant	$175.00	Brooks
Momo Taro (Peach Boy)	$45.00	Solaris Farms
Morning Lilac	$70.00	Adelman
Morning Lilac	$70.00	Brooks
Morning Lilac	$70.00	Buck Canyon
Morning Lilac	$75.00	Swenson
New Millennium	$200.00	Adelman
Old Rose Dandy	$35.00	Swenson
Old Rose Dandy	$40.00	Hollingsworth
Old Rose Dandy	$45.00	Adelman
Old Rose Dandy	$45.00	Solaris Farms
Pastel Splendor	$35.00	Swenson
Pastel Splendor	$45.00	Adelman
Pastel Splendor	$45.00	Solaris Farms
Pastel Splendor	$48.00	Hidden Springs
Pastel Splendor	$70.00	Song Sparrow
Pastel Splendor	C$80.00	Blossom Hill
Prairie Charm	$35.00	Buck Canyon
Prairie Charm	$35.00	Swenson
Prairie Charm	$48.00	Brooks
Prairie Charm	$50.00	Adelman
Prairie Charm	$50.00	Birchwood
Prairie Charm	$55.00	Hidden Springs
Prairie Charm	$60.00	Bannister
Prairie Charm	$70.00	Song Sparrow
Rosy Prospects	$70.00	Adelman
Scarlet Heaven	$35.00	Swenson
Scarlet Heaven	$38.00	Hollingsworth
Scarlet Heaven	$40.00	Adelman
Scarlet Heaven	$45.00	Solaris Farms
Scarlet Heaven	$69.00	Cricket Hill
Scarlet Heaven	C$80.00	Blossom Hill
Sequestered Sunshine	$75.00	Brooks
Sequestered Sunshine	$75.00	Swenson
Shining Light	$35.00	Swenson
Singing in the Rain	$40.00	Adelman
Singing in the Rain	$125.00	Brooks
Smith Family Yellow	$99.00	Adelman
Sonoma Amethyst	$65.00	Adelman
Sonoma Amethyst	$65.00	Buck Canyon
Sonoma Amethyst	$75.00	Solaris Farms
Sonoma Apricot	$80.00	Adelman
Sonoma Apricot	$80.00	Buck Canyon
Sonoma Floozy	$80.00	Adelman
Sonoma Halo	$350.00	Adelman
Sonoma Kaleidoscope	$200.00	Adelman
Sonoma Lavender Fancy	$50.00	Adelman
Sonoma Sun	$80.00	Adelman
Sonoma Velvet Ruby	$75.00	Solaris Farms
Sonoma Velvet Ruby	$80.00	Adelman
Sonoma Welcome	$75.00	Adelman
Strawberry Blush	$250.00	Adelman
Sunshine Sensation	C$130.00	Blossom Hill
Unique	$48.00	Buck Canyon
Unique	$50.00	Swenson
Unique	$60.00	Adelman
Viking Full Moon	$40.00	Solaris Farms
Viking Full Moon	$45.00	Adelman
Viking Full Moon	$120.00	Song Sparrow
Watermelon Wine	$150.00	Adelman
White Emperor	$125.00	Swenson
Yellow Crown	$45.00	Solaris Farms
Yellow Emperor	$45.00	Solaris Farms

2015 Peony Bloom Data in Peony Database

Last night I was so happy to finally get all of my peony bloom data into a database! Being a programmer has some advantages. I was able to download Postgresql (free database software) earlier this week and get it installed. Then last night I finally decided on the layouts for my database tables to hold the peony data. Then I worked on grooming and exporting my data from Excel into CSV files. Finally I was able to import all of the data into my new databases! What a feeling of accomplishment. :-) Now that I have all of my data stored in a database, I will be able to analyze and query the data easily whenever I like. I also plan to use this data to examine the performance of peony varieties over time and update my Bloom Dates page with average bloom dates for peony varieties. This year, 2015, I will have collected 10 years worth of peony bloom data.
Peony Database

2015 Peony Clipboard Data Entry

It is the middle of winter here, and there's not much going on in the peony garden right now. So it is a good time to get some of the paperwork, data entry, and analysis done that falls by the wayside during the growing season. Another peony season is over, and another one shall soon begin. Another clipboard full of data and notes from last year's growing season awaits its turn to be entered and analyzed. So this is what I'll make use of some of my time today, a day spent locked inside in the warmth and soft glows, away from the cold and bitter winds outside. I've long been dreaming about the day when I would take my tablet into the garden with me to enter my notes right away instead of putting them on paper and them transferring them into my computer. With the price of tablets dropping so quickly perhaps that day will be here soon!
Peony Data Clipboard

2014 Southern Peony Photos

One goal I had this year was to update the photo on the main page with a new peony each month. I kind of almost made that goal. I had to put December's photo in a bit late, but otherwise I made the goal to get out at least 12 new photos this year. I want to keep this goal every year until my Inventory page is mostly complete. Right now there are more peony varieties without photos than there are peony varieties with photos. I'd like to reverse that. :-) This goal has two purposes. I'd like to keep the main page fresh with a new picture on it every month, and the other and most important reason is I'd like to increase the number of peony bloom photos available on my site. Hopefully this will help people in identifying their own peonies (or determining mislabeled peonies) and perhaps also encourage people to find new varieties of peonies they'd like to grow!
December 2014 - Peony 'Yellow Crown'