2016 Peony Companion Chrysanthemum Garden Mums

I couldn't help but take this picture today. The gorgeous pink-purple mums really pop against the bright yellow fall foliage of my peony. It also reminds me that even in this dank darkness and degradation of fall, there is still light. There is still hope. Winter has yet to arrive, but Spring will always come again. If you don't yet grow any Chrysanthemum in your garden, you are missing out. Nothing else lights up the fall garden like Chrysanthemums, also known as Mums or Garden Mums. They are like lots of little, fluffy lollipops of color just bursting open come fall, and just like lollipops these blooms last a long, long time. These particular Mums in the photo have been blooming for weeks! Chrysanthemums are perennials that are usually hardy in Zones 4 through 8. So if you need some autumn pops of color, head to your local garden center for mums in all shades of reds, yellows, oranges, pinks, whites, and purples!
Peony with Yellow Fall Foliage and Pink-Purple Chrysanthemum

2016 Last Chance Fall Peony Orders

I was waiting to see what Harvey would be listing in his Last Chance Sale at Hidden Spring Flower Farm this year. When the list came out yesterday, there were several on his "Last Chance Sale" list that I wanted. I'd worked up a basket of over $330 in peonies (Peony 'Edward Steichen', Peony 'Plainsman', Peony 'Sugar N Spice', Peony 'Summer Carnival', Peony 'Vanilla Schnapps', and Peony 'Court Jester'). However, there are so many more to choose from (over 100 varieties). The sale only lasts through tomorrow - October 15th, and the full list of sale peonies can be found on the Hidden Springs Flower Farm web site under "Last Chance Sale". Since I'd just won a couple peonies in the fall auction this past weekend, I decided I'd better scale it back a little. So in the end I decided that I really "needed" ;-) Peony 'Vanilla Schnapps' and Peony 'Summer Carnival'. If you didn't win some certain peonies you were hoping to win in the fall auction, you might find them here (or perhaps you may find an even better replacement).
Hidden Springs Flower Farm Last Chance Sale Peony Wish List

2016 American Peony Society Fall Auction Starts Today!

Yes, I've been a little busy lately, and if you've been wondering what's been taking up a bit of my time, it's the American Peony Society Fall Auction - which starts today! I just added two last minute additions to the auction this morning - Peony 'Bartzella' - which is an awesome Southern Peony Best Performer and Peony 'Dinner Plate', which there are now two of this peony in the auction this year. So don't miss your opportunity to grab one! Bidding is from 12:00 noon Central time today, Saturday, October 8th until 5:00 pm Central time tomorrow, Sunday, October 9th. There are lots of nice peonies up for auction and something for every peony lover - tree peonies, herbaceous peonies, and intersectional peonies too! I've got my eye on a few of these beauties myself! Check out the full list of 39 peonies up for auction this year on the APS website. You can find it under Events, Online Fall Auction. The American Peony Society Fall Auction is open to APS Members Only. So if you're not yet a member, now's a great time to Join the APS! Happy Peony Bidding!
American Peony Society Fall Auction
Two 'Dinner Plate' Peonies Up for Auction

2016 It's Autumn and It's Time to Cut Back Peonies

Early Autumn Saunders Peony Garden - Time to Cut Back Peonies
It makes me feel good to get the garden cleaned up, but it is also make me feel a bit bittersweet to see the peony foliage for the last time this year. This year I have started to cut back my peony foliage a bit earlier than I usually do. I am, however, cutting back the peonies with the foliage that dies back earlier in summer first. Since it is just the start of fall here, many of my peonies' foliage will last another month or two. I am hoping cutting the foliage back earlier will help prevent disease and also prevent me from accidentally cutting any of those pink eyes that live close to the surface here in my Southern Peony garden. I will need all of those pink eye buds I can get next spring! (Especially since some of you may actually be visiting my garden next year!) That makes me feel a bit nervous and excited at the same time. So I am trying to get as much prepared as I can all along in the garden just in case! I just got the new garden obelisk in the photo, and I am really excited about it. It looks very nice in my Saunders peony garden, and I'm hoping the vine I planted underneath will find it next spring. :-) If you're interested in getting one of these garden obelisks for you own garden, you can find it on Amazon here - Gardman R352 Garden Obelisk, Black, 13" Wide x 6' 6" High. Happy Fall Gardening!


Early Autumn Saunders Peony Garden Cut Back

2016 University of Vienna Botanical Garden Peonies

University of Vienna Botanical Garden Peony Garden
Yes, it was the end of summer, but I couldn't help checking out the peonies at the University of Vienna Botanical Garden on my trip last week. This botanical garden is quite strict in its definition of botanical. The are several varieties of peonies. All of them are species peonies however, except for one Paeonia suffruticosa selection - perhaps because there are no longer any true representations of this species left. In this Vienna, Austria garden they grow their peonies in an open, oval bed surrounded by grass and trees (at some distance). The soil is flat and bare, not covered by any type of mulch.
University of Vienna Botanical Garden Peony Garden
The species I found represented in their garden are Paeonia delavayi, Paeonia emodi, Paeonia lactiflora, Paeonia mairei, Paeonia mascula, Paeonia officinalis ssp. officinalis, Paeonia peregrina, Paeonia rockii, Paeonia suffruticosa 'Duchesse de Morny', and Paeonia tenuifolia. So they have 10 varieties of peonies growing there. Not quite enough to be listed on the American Peony Society Peony Garden Map, but still worth a visit if you are in the area or are particularly interested in species peonies.
Me with a Very Tall Paeonia delavayi Peony Plant
I was quite surprised to find this particularly tall representation of Paeonia delavayi. I must admit I have never seen a P. delavayi peony growing this tall. It was almost as tall as me. The one P. delavayi peony plant I tried to grow here lasted for a few years, but each year it became smaller and smaller and eventually died. I will have to try again after seeing how successful their plants are. Also according to Wikipedia, the growing zone in Vienna, Austria is equivalent to a growing zone 8a, which is warmer than my own growing zone 7b. Someone's calculations must be incorrect. Perhaps mine is a bit warmer or theirs is a bit cooler. The temperatures here this week are still in the 80s for the last week of September, and their temperatures were in the 60s for most of last week. It also surprises me considering they seem to be able to grow the Paeonia tenuifolia (fern leaf peony) there, which does not grow at all here in my climate.
University of Vienna Botanical Garden Peony Paeonia emodi
I was also happy to meet this Paeonia emodi plant growing in their garden. I had never seen this plant before, nor have I ever seen its roots or seeds for sale. Its foliage particularly delighted me. The leaves are so long and wide too, very gracefully coming to a nicely symmetrical, pointed tip. It is supposed to have a pretty single white flower. Here are some of the other species peonies that were growing in the University of Vienna Botanical Garden. Please feel free to click on any photo to see a larger version.

Paeonia delavayi	Paeonia lactiflora
Paeonia mairei	Paeonia mascula
Paeonia officinalis ssp. officinalis	Paeonia peregrina
Paeonia rockii	Paeonia suffruticosa 'Duchesse de Morny'
Paeonia tenuifolia