2016 Peony 'Halcyon' Best Performer - Week 1

I must say that I am usually not too impressed by Week 1 peonies. They can and do bloom here, but often they only have one or two blooms or the blooms aren't very spectacular. I must say that I have been really impressed by Peony 'Halcyon' this year. It put up 5 blooms this year, and it looks there will be even more next year (as long as we don't get a hard late frost)! Peony 'Halcyon' was hybridized by Professor A. P. Saunders and registered in 1948. In its registration, it is described as blush with purple flares. However, the flowers in my garden open a light pink violet and fade to blush over time. The flares are not purple, but more of a darker pink violet than the rest of the bloom, which makes for a very lovely flower, especially so early in the season. If you are looking for a pretty pastel peony to start your peony bloom season, this one is it!
Peony 'Halcyon'
Southern Peony Best Performer

Peony 'Halcyon'
Southern Peony Best Performer

2016 Peony Blooms Very Early - Week 1

Since we haven't had any late bud blasting winter weather yet this year, the very early peonies did very well this spring. Peony 'Nova' bloomed for me for the first time ever this year. Peony 'Halcyon' was the second peony to bloom in my garden this year and has definitely been the most impressive. Peony 'Early Scout' is a pretty reliable very early blooming peony that gives you a punch of bright red color early in the season. Tree Peony 'White Phoenix' has also been a reliable bloomer since it first started blooming in my garden, and is growing and increasing nicely. If your peony bloom season hasn't started yet, take a peek at some of these very early blooming peonies. Try to seek them out in the peony catalogs this year to add some early peony color to your garden!

Peony 'Nova'	Peony 'Halcyon'
Peony 'Early Scout'	Tree Peony 'White Phoenix'

2016 Tree Peony Buds

I am really excited to see these tree peony buds bloom! I have 6 different tree peonies with buds on them this year, and I have only seen one of them bloom before - Tree Peony 'White Phoenix'. That means 5 of these I have never seen bloom before. Yippee! Two of these that I have labeled as Unknown are the first two plants from the 2013 Ali Express Chinese Tree Peonies $5.52 for 3! that have gotten a bud. So I am excited to see what mystery tree peonies I got from China! Also since these are the only 6 tree peonies in my garden with buds, that also means that several more tree peonies do not have buds and will not bloom this year including some tree peonies that have bloomed for me in the past. (I'm still getting the hang of this tree peony thing.) However, 6 distinct tree peony varieties with buds is the most I have ever had bloom in a single year before. So I am filled with anticipation to meet these new beauties...

Tree Peony 'Black Lotus' Bud	Tree Peony Unknown White?
Tree Peony 'Tria'	Tree Peony Unknown
Tree Peony 'White Phoenix'	Tree Peony 'Lavender Hill'

2016 Japanese Tree Peony 'Chojuraku' from Ebay

Tree Peony 'Chojuraku' 長寿楽 Garden Label	Tree Peony 'Chojuraku' 長寿楽 from Ebay

I just bought this Japanese Tree Peony 'Chojuraku' 長寿楽 from Ebay two weeks ago. It came quickly through the mail, and I got it planted quickly too. I must say I am really impressed by the size and age of this grafted plant. It is huge. I definitely feel like I got my money's worth from this Ebay seller - garden*breeze. This is the second peony I have purchased from them, and I have been happy with both. However, this isn't the case with all Ebay sellers, so I am planning on creating and Ebay peony seller's review. Hopefully I will be able to get to it this year! Another reason I am excited about this peony besides its large size is its color - lavender, my favorite! This Tree Peony 'Chojuraku' 長寿楽 looks like it may be a double flowering P. rockii hybrid since it has dark purple flares, and I really have been wanting a peony like that. I tried buying some Purple Peony Rockii Seeds from Ebay Canada last year, but they haven't sprouted yet. I'm not giving up hope on those yet since many of my own 2015 seed have not sprouted yet. However, I'm sure this Tree Peony 'Chojuraku' 長寿楽 will provide me with blooms much sooner!

2016 Second Bloom of the Year Peony 'Halcyon'

Second Peony Bloom of the Year
Peony 'Halcyon' Bloom
Well, my second peony of the year bloomed today, Peony 'Halcyon'. It is a gorgeous pale lavender pink, another pretty pastel spring color. I love the color lavender in peonies, and the lavender pink of this very early blooming A. P. Saunders variety hints at the lavender color of the later blooming (but still early blooming) Peony 'Lavender'. Since we had an early spring with no late frost to blast these early buds, all of my very early blooming peonies are blooming fabulously this year. The First Bloom of the Year was Peony 'Nova'. In fact, these early herbaceous peonies are even blooming before my tree peonies this year. Last year the First Peony Bloom of the Year was Tree Peony 'White Phoenix'. If your peonies haven't quite woken up yet, then you may want to consider adding some very early blooming peonies to your garden this fall.
Second Peony Bloom of the Year
Peony 'Halcyon'