2019 American Peony Society Convention Reiman Gardens Peony Flower Exhibition

2019 APS Convention Flower Exhibition
Reiman Gardens Garden Room
I must say I really enjoyed the natural feeling of the 2019 American Peony Society Exhibition room this year, which was in the Garden Room of Reiman Gardens in Ames, Iowa. There was so much wood in the room, but not too much, that it gave it a soft feeling. The space also had lots of windows, mirrors, and natural lighting, perfect for showing off all of those gorgeous peony blooms. Even with the natural lighting, the room was still cool enough to keep the peony blossoms fresh for the competition and exhibition. So we had the best of both worlds.


Itoh and Herbaceous Hybrid Peonies
2019 APS Convention Flower Exhibition
There was just something about having those natural wood beams around the room, that just made the peonies pop! I just couldn't stop taking pictures of the peonies against the wood. The rich, light brown color just made the perfect companion to the brightly colored peonies. The show was actually really well attended. There were many, many members of the public, plus a busload of peony enthusiasts from the Heartland Peony Society that came to visit on Sunday. It was nice to see the excitement of everyone - new and seasoned peony enthusiasts alike, and many new people decided to become APS members as well. All in all it was quite a successful show for the APS and for peonies!


Peony Collection Entries
2019 APS Convention Flower Exhibition

Peony Collection Entry
2019 APS Convention Flower Exhibition

2019 American Peony Society Convention Reiman Gardens Peony Flower Bouquets

Reiman Gardens Peony Bouquets
I'm not sure who put together all of the beautiful vases of peonies at the Reiman Gardens front desk for the 2019 American Peony Society Convention, but they were gorgeous! I only wish I had this many colors and varieties of peonies to pick at once to brighten up a vase! No where else on earth will you find as many peony varieties from all different bloom seasons - early season, mid season, and late season all gathered together and on display than you will at a peony flower exhibition. If you are lucky enough to be able to visit a peony show, then you are in for a unique experience! Prepare to be dazzled and delighted!!


Reiman Gardens Front Desk Covered with Peonies
There wasn't an inch of space left on the welcome desk at Reiman Gardens on the days of the flower exhibition. Glorious bouquets of dark maroon, pale peach, bright pink, cherry red, and sunny yellow greeted APS Members and Reiman garden visitors alike. If you came just to visit the garden that weekend, you happened upon a real treat! The bouquets upon bouquets of peonies at the front gave away that something was going on. I'd like to say I have an easy favorite of all of the bouquets on the front desk, but there were so many of them I really loved, my mind can't settle on just one! If you didn't get to see these lovely flowers at the show, I hope you get a chance to enjoy them now! :-)


Reiman Gardens Peony Bouquets

Reiman Gardens Peony Bouquets

Reiman Gardens Front Desk Peony Bouquets

2019 APS Convention Southern Peony Wins 3 Blue Ribbons in Artistic Division & First Rosette

Southern Peony Artistic Design Entries
1st Place "Happy Days" & 1st Place "Honored Guest"
I must say I was very proud of my "Happy Days" arrangement that I entered into the 2019 American Peony Society Flower Exhibition this year. Of the three arrangement I entered, it was definitely my favorite. The bright yellow colors of the hostas and the irises just popped like rays of sunshine and made me feel happy whenever I looked at it. The arrangement category honored a Saunders peony by the same name, Peony 'Happy Days', a lutea hybrid with colors of rose and gold. The "Honored Guest" arrangement was nice too, honoring another Saunders Peony 'Honored Guest', a white single with pink flares. Since I didn't have a Peony 'Honored Guest' to put into the arrangement, I used a single white tree peony and made flares of pink bleeding hearts coming out all around the white flower. The "Great Lady" arrangement honored Peony 'Great Lady', another Saunders hybrid, which blooms as a single hot pink peony in my garden. So I used a single hot pink peony, but the arrangement was supposed to be tall like a great lady. So I used tall fern fronds, which are feminine, yet commanding.

My First Artistic Design Rosette 1st Place "Honored Guest" Novice Design Award	1st Place "Great Lady"

When the results for the show were announced, I was astounded to find I'd won 3 1st place blue ribbons, plus a rosette for Novice Best Design! This is the first year I've ever won a rosette in a design category. However I was really shocked that it was the "Honored Guest" arrangement that actually won the Novice Best Design Rosette. I felt sure that the "Happy Days" entry I'd entered was my best effort. It was interesting to see the comments from the judges on the backs of my entry tags. That's the thing I think is pretty neat about the Artistic Design category, all of the artistic designs are judged by local certified design judges (not APS judges). Regardless of which arrangement won, I am very grateful to have been able to enter into this category in the APS show. I owe many thanks to the APS members that donate peonies to the artistic design category every year, and to Kris who graciously allowed me to harvest hostas, iris, and bleeding hearts, and other foliage from her garden. Thank you!

2019 American Peony Society Convention Flower Exhibition Court of Honor

2019 American Peony Society Court of Honor
There were so many pretty peony flowers on the show table this year. Two of the top honors went to people who'd never won those awards before, 2019 APS Best in Show Peony 'Noma Volz' Awarded to First Time Grand Champion Winner, Mike Miller and 2019 APS Treasurer and First Time Entrant Wins 2 Court of Honor Ribbons & Best Novice Specimen Rosette in the American Peony Society Flower Exhibition. Also this was the first time ever that Peony 'Norma Volz' has ever won the highest honor in the show, Grand Champion / Best In Show. To me, that makes for a pretty exciting flower show! There were lots of firsts this year, and I can't wait to see how the show goes next year in Chicago!

Peony 'Age of Victoria' Best Novice	Peony 'Norma Volz' Grand Champion	Peony 'Jacks Point' Reserve Champion, William Seidel Memorial Award

Peony 'Garden Treasure' Best Yellow / Yellow Blend Intersectional, Best Intersectional	Peony 'Madame Claude Tain' Best White Lactiflora	Peony 'Victory' Best Blush Lactiflora
Peony 'Waucedah Princess' Best Pink or Pink Blend Tree Peony	Peony 'Vesuvian' Best Red / Maroon Tree Peony	Peony 'Mabel L. Gore' Red Lactiflora
Peony 'Coral Scout' Best Coral Hybrid	Peony 'Ice Age' Best White or White Blend Tree Peony	Peony 'Pastelegance' Best White / Blush / Yellow Hybrid, Allan Rogers Memorial Award
Peony 'Kamata-fuji' Best Purple / Lavender Tree Peony	Peony 'Buckeye Belle' Best Red Hybrid

Peony 'TP Sdlg N' Best Seedling	Peony '3442' Best Seedling	Peony 'Petticoat Parade' Best 3 of a Kind

2019 APS Best in Show Peony 'Noma Volz' Awarded to First Time Grand Champion Winner, Mike Miller

Mike Miller with his First Ever Grand Champion
Peony 'Norma Volz'
It was an exciting day on the show table all around with many entrants on the Court of Honor this year that may not have been the usual suspects. The same was true for the winner of the whole show - both the flower and the entrant. Mike Miller of Great Seal Peonies won the top honor for the first time ever at the 2019 APS Flower Exhibition this year. Peony 'Norma Volz' was the flower that won him the honor, eliciting three ribbons - a 1st place Blue Ribbon, a Court of Honor Rosette (light blue) and the Grand Champion Rosette (purple). You can tell by the look on his face how thrilled he was, and I couldn't have been more happy for him. It really is nice to see new winners on the Court of Honor and for the Grand Champion of the show. Peony 'Norma Volz' was also a first time Grand Champion, as this peony variety had never before won the show's top honors - until now! Congratulations to Mike with his prize winning show flower, Peony 'Norma Volz'!


Peony 'Norma Volz'
2019 APS Best in Show / Grand Champion