2016 Intersectional Peony Hybridizing Seed Pods

Seed Pod on Peony 'Martha W.'
Well I think my Peony 'Martha W.' plants had about 20 blooms on them this spring. However, between kids, work, and the weather, I was only able to pollinate about half of them - 11 blooms. I cut off all of the other blooms that I wasn't able to pollinate so that only the 11 I intentionally hybridized would attempt to set seed. There were 6 blooms pollinated on one plant and 5 blooms pollinated on the other. So of all the pollinated flowers, only half of those actually set seed. One reason for some of the failure may have been because I left the bags that cover the cross on for too long. I didn't think it would harm them, but apparently it does. When I found out, some of them had already been left on for 3-5 days. Apparently you're only supposed to leave the bag on for 1-2 days at the most. This could be why none of my previous crosses have worked.
Peony 'Martha W.' Being Pollinating (April 2016)


1 Seed Pod and 5 Failed Seed Pods on Peony 'Martha W.' (June 2016)
These Peony 'Martha W.' plants were crossed with tree peony pollen. So I can't wait to see what grows from these seeds. Even though I have my first ever intentionally hybridized seeds growing, I don't think I'll feel the entire experiment is a success until I see some of these seeds sprout. (And then I probably won't feel I've made a successful cross until I see them bloom!) So this process will take several years before the real results are known. However, I am excited that the process has begun, and the first step has succeeded!
Seed Pod and Failed Seed Pod on Peony 'Martha W.'
It is easy to see which seed pods are successful and which seed pods failed to produce seed. The seed pods that are actually growing seeds begin to swell and continue to swell as the months progress. However, the failed seed pods will start to shrink and turn brown as the months progress. You can see the very large, swollen, bright green seed pod in the same photo as a very small, dark brown, shriveled seed pod above. Now that I know some rare seeds are coming, I will have to think of a special place to plant these seeds. Of course I will document the germination rates for these seeds next spring. When the leaves start to sprout, then at least I'll know that these truly are intersectional seedlings and will know that the second step has succeeded. I can't wait to see what pops up!
Peony 'Martha W.' Being Pollinated (April 2016)


4 Seed Pods and 1 Failed Seed Pod on Peony 'Martha W.' (June 2016)

2016 APS Gold Medal Winner Peony 'Eliza Lundy'

Peony 'Eliza Lundy'
Photo Courtesy of Countryside Gardens Peony Farm
Well, it's official. The American Peony Society has selected Peony 'Eliza Lundy' to be the 2016 American Peony Society Gold Medal Winner and 2017 Peony of the Year. Laverne from Countryside Gardens Peony Farm gracefully allowed me to display these Peony 'Eliza Lundy' photos since I do not grow this peony myself. I'm also not sure how well this peony would grow here since it is a short variety and short varieties tend to not grow well here. However, from these photos it looks like it grows very well in Minnesota! If you want to add one of these peonies to your collection, it looks like Countryside Gardens Peony Farm is selling this peony for fall delivery! Peony 'Eliza Lundy' is a clear, red double that was hybridized by Krekler and registered in 1976. If you'd like to see the rest of the APS Gold Medal selections, check out the full list of American Peony Society Gold Medal Recipients.

Peony 'Eliza Lundy'
Photo Courtesy of Countryside Gardens Peony Farm

2016 Peony Purchases from Klehm's Song Sparrow Tour

Potted Peonies Purchased on Klehm's Song Sparrow Farm Tour
Wow! My plants from the APS Peony Convention Tour of Song Sparrow arrived this week, and I got them planted today. I purchased three peonies in their $15 potted plant sale - Peony 'Carl G. Klehm', Peony 'Lake o' Silver', and Peony 'Lora Dexheimer'. Two of these peonies had blooms on them when I purchased them. So I know I was getting the correct variety. I really like that. Unfortunately one of them didn't have a bloom on it, but I wanted that one so bad I bought it anyway. It was the last one of that variety that they had, that was potted and on sale for $15. It was Peony 'Carl G. Klehm', which got many votes and several nominations in the American Peony Society Gold Medal voting this year. So I guess Peony 'Carl G. Klehm' must be a pretty good peony to grow. Since it is so small, it might take a while to settle in. Hopefully I'll get some blooms from it eventually! :-)

2016 Peony 'Dreamtime' Pollen from Bill Seidl's Garden

Bill Seidl Showing Off His Peony 'Elizabeth Black'
After the American Peony Society convention, I had the opportunity to visit the garden of Bill Seidl as well as meet him in person. It was a lovely afternoon to tour his garden in a quiet subdivision in Manitowac, WI. The weather was perfect, and the flowers were even better. Bill seemed to be a very knowledgeable gardener, not just in peonies, but all kinds of trees, shrubs, and perennials. He had a story about each plant, and you could tell that each one of them was special to him. He told us the story of Elizabeth Black, an artist that drew portraits of WWII soldiers, for which he named the peony flower he is holding in the photo above, a yet unregistered seedling of his.
Me with Bill Seidl


Bill Seidl Showing Off His Garden to Fellow APS Members
While in the garden a peony stem was given to me on a whim, just before I had to leave for the airport. At first I kept it because it was pretty. What girl doesn't like flowers? ;-) It was Peony 'Dreamtime', a peony cultivar registered by Bill Seidl and Nate Bremer in 2013. I decided later that I would save this peony flower and try to use its pollen for breeding. So Peony 'Dreamtime' made the trip with me through the airport in Wisconsin, where it made everyone who saw it smile! :-) Now the pollen has been dried and put into the freezer for next year. Only time will tell if I'll get any babies from it...
Peony 'Dreamtime' in Bill Seidl's Garden


Peony 'Dreamtime' Pollen Drying

2016 APS Peony Convention Banquet and Auction

2016 American Peony Society Banquet
The 2016 American Peony Society banquet was a nice meal with good friends and great times. The food was tasty - chicken, beef stew, ham, mashed potatoes, carrots, tomato and artichoke salad, garden salad, and corn bread. There was also strawberry cream cake and apple cobbler for dessert. The APS General Meeting was short. However, the APS did announce and recognize all of the individuals that got a peony on the Court of Honor, as well as those with special awards as well. Nate Bremer by far received the most ribbons of anyone in the show, including the Best in Show award, which were all well deserved. If you went on the tour of his farm during the 2016 APS Peony Convention Tour of Solaris Farms you'd know why.
2016 American Peony Society Special Award Winners
If you were looking for a good deal on peonies, the 2016 APS Convention Auction was the place to be. Jim and Lore did a great job as usual keeping us entertained while helping auction off plants to benefit the APS as well. This year there was a much larger variety of plants auctioned off - more than just peonies. There were magnolia trees, ginko trees, crabapple trees, Japanese maple trees, clematises, and a fringe tree that was quite popular. Of course the peonies were the main attraction, and there were so many to choose from. Many varieties went for $30 or less. However, there were some rare varieties in high demand that fetched more than $200-$300 dollars. There was also a silent auction that was new this year, and I think the best items in that auction were the honey from Blossom Hill Nursery and Don Smith's hat! :-D
2016 American Peony Society Auction Donations

2016 American Peony Society Auction Donations