Thursday, May 2, 2019

2019 360° View of Intersectional Peony 'Keiko' 愛幕 (Adored) - 'Pink Double Dandy'

This peony, 'Keiko' 愛幕 (Adored) aka 'Pink Double Dandy', is always one of my Best Performers. This intersectional peony plant just had so many pretty, pink flowers on it, that every side was covered. So I decided to take this series of photos showing the peony blooms on every side of the bush. There are just so many flowers on this plant, that there was not one side that wasn't covered. If you're not yet convinced that this peony, Peony 'Keiko' (Adored) Best Performer is one of the best intersectional peonies out there, then perhaps this will convince you...

360° View of Intersectional Peony 'Keiko' 愛幕 (Adored)
'Pink Double Dandy'

Wednesday, May 1, 2019

2019 Peony 'Watermelon Wine' Best Performer - Week 4

I must say there is something about Peony 'Watermelon Wine' that really calls you from across the garden. I think it may be the vibrant hot pink color, the way it holds its blooms high above the plant, did I mention the enchanting color? Intersectional Peony 'Watermelon Wine' was hybridized by Roger Anderson and registered in 1999. This plant has grown really well every year in my garden since I've gotten it. Of course it came to me as a really huge root, so it had a great starting point. I can't wait to see how it continues to grow and bloom! There are a couple of peony growers offering this intersectional peony for sale this year. Check out our 2019 Intersectional Peony Catalog Price Comparison List for availability and prices. This brazen beauty is very vigorous, quite a tall plant, and flowers reliably, and has HOT PINK flowers (a rare color for intersectional peonies these days).

Intersectional Peony 'Watermelon Wine'
Southern Peony Best Performer

Tuesday, April 30, 2019

2019 White Peonies En Masse in Front of the House

White Peonies, Dianthus, Lamb's Ear in Front of House
Well, I must say that my project 4 years ago, 2015 Move Single White Peonies to Front of House, has been quite successful. I don't quite yet have the solid mass of flowers that Don Smith had amassed, but I do think my peonies are getting larger each year, and I'm sure I'll have another update with even more blooms in future years. The first year I planted these peony divisions, not all of them even bloomed the next spring. So we are steadily seeing growth and progress in these peony plants each year with more and more blooms. I can say that I really enjoy coming home and seeing my house at the end of each day. It is so nice to appreciate being home, and these bright white single peonies are quite the welcoming sight! Welcome home!

White Single Peonies and Lamb's Ear

White Peonies, Dianthus, Lamb's Ear Beside Front Walk

Dianthus and White Peonies

White Peonies, Dianthus, Lamb's Ear on Front Sidewalk

Monday, April 29, 2019

2019 Children in the Peony Garden

Maddox in Peony Seedling Bed
They are just too cute and young and innocent. It makes me so happy to see little ones in the garden, especially when the peonies are blooming. I just can't help but snap photos of them when the flowers are out and open. They are happy to oblige me when I ask them to pose with the peonies, sometimes even asking me to take their picture with the flowers. I can remember when Isabella was shorter than a peony plant, now she's almost taller than me! Maddox found one peony that was taller than him in the peony seedling bed, but this will probably be the last year that he is that small. They grow up so fast! I am trying to enjoy them as much as I can. I know they will only be young once, and I am always thinking about how I will miss them when they are small.

Isabella with Intersectional Peony 'Smith Family Yellow'
It was also nice to have so many kids in the garden this year at Easter. It reminded me of the Easter I used to have when I was a child at my Granny's (great grandmother's) house. All of my cousins would be there along with my brother and me. Granny loved to grow flowers too, and we would always hide some of the brightly colored Easter eggs in her colorful flowers every year (even though she told us not to every year). What better hiding spot for a colorful Easter egg than in a flower bed? :-) We hid the Easter eggs in my flowers this year as well. I usually find the missing Easter eggs that were too well hidden in my garden throughout the year. I've found 3 already this the past week! Oh, to be a child again and hunt Easter eggs in the garden!

Children Hunting Easter Eggs in the Peony Garden


I Found One!

Children Hunting Easter Eggs in the Peony Garden

Sunday, April 28, 2019

2019 Intersectional Peony Blooms Week 4 Mid

The intersectional peonies really came out in force this week. The quick rise in temperatures created quite the show, with many different colors opening this week. Most of these are peonies that have bloomed for me in the past, but it is always nice to see them reliably each year. Intersectional Peony 'Sonoma Blessing' is one of the intersectional peonies that bloomed for me for the first time this year, and it was a blessing to meet such a unique flower. Intersectional Peony 'Magical Mystery Tour' is another peony that bloomed for me for the first time, and it was quite a surprise to see how rich the color is upon opening. The blooms fade over time leaving multi-colored blossoms on the plant over time. Peony 'Berry Garcia' actually bloomed for me for the first time last year while I was gone to China. So seeing it for the first time this year, I really fell in love. Something about the complementary pastel color scheme just really excites me. The blooms are like a lovely shade of yellow cream with pink picotee edges, really charming!