Come look at the photo gallery I created of the beautiful peonies at my farm!
I simply adore tree peonies and have been collecting them for quite a long time. This was an especially good year for my tree peony border and even though their flowers have faded, I thought I’d give you a glimpse of their extraordinary blooms. There is an entire photo gallery I captioned on the next page!
The Chinese have been cultivating tree peonies, or mudan, for 1,500
years. But these fabulous flowering shrubs are still a novelty in
American gardens because Chinese garden nurseries have been off-limits
to gardeners in the West, until recently. Close relatives of the
familiar herbaceous peonies, which die back to the ground every fall,
tree peonies, on the other hand, are woody-stemmed. In addition to
producing the garden’s largest, most glorious flowers, the plants are
also hardy and attractive shrubs.
The Japanese were introduced to tree peonies when seafaring monks
brought them to Japan more than 1,000 years ago. The Japanese
developed their own hybrids. Many are extremely fragrant, and some
bear flowers up to twelve inches in diameter. A third group of tree
peonies was created in the United States during the twentieth century.
Known as American hybrids, their blossoms are generally smaller than
other peonies, but the colors are extraordinary. The wonderful thing
about the three different groups is that they have different blooming
periods. In my garden in Westchester County, NY, the Chinese mudan bloom
first in mid May, followed by the Japanese hybrids, about two weeks
later. My American hybrids bloom last, giving me a full month of
incredible blooms, some as large as dinner plates. And each year the
prolific peonies produce more and more gorgeous flowers.
I took these photos with my Canon.
VIEW MY ALBUM
Wow they are beautiful. How do you keep them up ? mine always droop as soon as the bud starts to open
Thanks for sharing!
Posted by: jon beattie | June 10th, 2008 at 12:33 am
Hi Martha, Your peony trees and the gallery of photos of the peony blossoms are absolutely stunning. The colors and sizes of the blossoms are magnificent. How lucky you were that the weather cooperated this year to produce such beautiful results. It's really great that you were able to save some from Turkey Hill and that they adapted so well to your fantastic farm. I love all of the peonies, but my favorites were the true mauve and the irridescent. Thank you so much for sharing. I would love to have some of your warm weather. It's still in the 50's here in the Puget Sound area with snow in the Cascades. Jan
Posted by: Jan Erickson | June 10th, 2008 at 1:22 am
So pretty!
Posted by: Isle Dance | June 10th, 2008 at 3:20 am
Martha, these are beyond charming! My blood pressure just dropped several numbers after viewing these lush flowers. What a pleasure. Thank you so much!
Posted by: Marie | June 10th, 2008 at 4:18 am
Your peonies are absolutely beautiful!! I have quite a few myself and besides lilacs, they are my favorite flowers!! There is nothing like a large container of peonies in the middle of my dining room table. Thanks so much for sharing!!
Posted by: Shirley Hawksby | June 10th, 2008 at 6:41 am
Your photos have inspired me to try adding tree peonies to my garden--they are just gorgeous.
Posted by: Bet | June 10th, 2008 at 6:47 am
Very pretty !!! I could smell them from here !!
Posted by: Paula | June 10th, 2008 at 7:37 am
They really are perfection. Beautiful shots.
Posted by: Cass | June 10th, 2008 at 7:39 am
Vos pivoines sont magnifiques. Cette année a été particulièrement adaptée à leur floraison, même ici en France.
C'est ma fleur préférée, avant même les roses que j'adore pourtant.
Merci pour ces belles photos.
Posted by: Muriel | June 10th, 2008 at 8:46 am
MANY thanks for sharing these beautiful pictures! Peonies have got to be right up there in my "favorite flowers" category (right up there with magnolia, hydrangea, and a few others). Any time I see stems for sale at the farmers market, I have to snag them up and put them all over the house. I may have to go play with my camera outside, now!
Posted by: Kim Wylie | June 10th, 2008 at 9:03 am
These are simply beautiful! We've just purchased a home with one tree peony and several herbaceous peonies. However, the tree is in a dark secluded spot as are two of the bushes. Should I transplant them? I have enjoyed your beautiful photos and look forward to seeing more of your gardens as the summer progresses. Ann
Posted by: Ann | June 10th, 2008 at 9:08 am
m so glad i read ur blog, i did not no tree peonies became a woody shrub,(i have herbaceous) neat that u photo and keep catalog, i do 2, 2 compare from yr 2 yr, u r the coolest
Posted by: charmayne | June 10th, 2008 at 9:37 am
Fantastic!!!
Posted by: Edi Gardner | June 10th, 2008 at 9:48 am
Hi Martha,
Wow,how beautiful.I have 3 bushes, all the same color(dark pink)my favorite color ,but I'm getting a white bush next. When we step outside we can smell them,and it's great. Thank you for all your great pictures.
Pam from Wi.
Posted by: Pamela Beier | June 10th, 2008 at 9:53 am
Your camera is the best; your pictures make me feel like I'm right there in your garden! I can't wait to see the herbaceous peonies; it looks like you have a million of them! The deep-pink blooms in glasses on that tray just make me smile. What do you use to make your grass so green? Our sod never gets that green even with fertilizer. Trish
Posted by: Trish | June 10th, 2008 at 10:32 am
Oh, my very favorite flower! They were the highlight of my beautiful (and very heavy) wedding bouquet.
This is my bouquet:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/knitfit/115876961/in/set-72057594087328979/
You peonies are absolutely stunning! Gives me inspiration for my new garden that I am planning for next year. Thank you!
Posted by: jessica~ | June 10th, 2008 at 10:37 am
Your peonies are absolutely lovely, they remind me of my mother, she loved pink...pink ruffled dresses and large pink bows....childhood memories. My peonies bloomed all at once yesterday morning, a large bouquet of about 30 in shades of pink, right by our ocean garden in beautiful Gloucester Harbor. Isn't it wonderful how these smells and colors of summer bring back so many beautiful memories, and make many new memories. I love your programs, and books, you are truly unique in what you do. Thank you for being Martha.
Posted by: Gail from Glosta | June 10th, 2008 at 10:43 am
Martha... It would be so enjoyable to wake up and have those peonies waiting to greet you. To eat your breakfast, or take a moment for a cup of tea, just gazing at their beauty.
So what exciting plans do you have for the summer?
Ang
Posted by: Angie D | June 10th, 2008 at 12:01 pm
Hi Martha--
Lovely peonies--a floral extravagance we never see here in So. California. Thanks for sharing yours!
Posted by: MMC from San Diego | June 10th, 2008 at 1:11 pm
Martha,
How can you pick a favorite out of all those beauties? I wanted to dive right in those photos and just smell those blooms..especially love the white ones. What a beautiful tree peony garden you have and I love the Alchemilla bordering them too. I have Alchemilla around my roses...you gave me that idea!!
Do you have the variety of photo 16 that captions "so fragile'? I couldn't stop looking at that one! We have one tree peony that we purchased from White Flower Farm in Litchfield, CT. We had 2 more but they didn't make it through the winter. Now our gardens are more protected and I'm anxious to plant more.
I am so glad you were able to move some species from Westport...I would cry if I had to leave mine behind. Do you transplant in the fall just like herbacious ones? Do you dig out the whole tree? Please let us know that info too if possible. Love the gardening photos and can't wait to see your new herbacious peonies in bloom!
BTW..picked my herbacious peony blooms this morning and put in an ironstone antique pitcher. My husband commented that it looked like a Renaissance painting. I am familiar with Khelm Nursery and plan to buy some new varieties in the fall. Thank you Martha!
Posted by: Paula M. :) | June 10th, 2008 at 1:36 pm
Martha,
I love the 'album'. This was so easy to view the pictures. I never knew there wa so much variety in this flower. I loved the burgundy color, all of them really.
Posted by: michael anthamatten | June 10th, 2008 at 1:55 pm
The most beautiful Peonies. Colors are so stunning. I finally had a white bloom this year. I had planted two a few years ago, it was wounderful to see it bloom.
Any tips on more blooms?
Posted by: Joan Dawson | June 10th, 2008 at 2:09 pm
Wow! Your peonies are absolutely gorgeous.
Thanks for sharing these pictures.
Posted by: trinabel | June 10th, 2008 at 2:37 pm
Mine droop too....what is your secret???
Lovely pictures.
Kathy ;0
Posted by: Kathy :) | June 10th, 2008 at 3:30 pm
Beautiful pictures! Makes my four peonie plants a bit sad. We are luck to have had any bloom with all the rain we have had here in Central IL.
Check out Sensitivecarpenter.com
He is right in your backyard.
Posted by: Sylvia Burke | June 10th, 2008 at 4:02 pm
Do you have ants on your peonies? As a kid my mom's pride and joy were her peonies. As a kid I was fascinated with the ants.
They truly are a gift from above.
Thanks so much for caring enough about them to show us your pictures.
I would like to know how everyone pronounces peonie.
Posted by: Margie | June 10th, 2008 at 4:29 pm
These are absolutely wonderful! I am enjoying my lilies which are just coming into bloom here in WV. I don't have any peonies in my garden, and haven't seen this type here. Will they grow in southern West Virginia (KY,VA border area)? I'd love to try them!
Posted by: Macel | June 10th, 2008 at 6:22 pm
Your place must smell like absolute heaven! I can imagine the evenings there with the crickets chirping. Ahhhhh.
Posted by: Jannie Sue | June 10th, 2008 at 7:47 pm
These are lovely! Peonies are my absolute favorite flower. From bud to blossom, I think they're the prettiest flower around!
Posted by: Mischa | June 10th, 2008 at 7:54 pm
Beautiful! And thank you for the lesson on them as well!
Posted by: Susan | June 10th, 2008 at 11:44 pm
Oh! How I would love to photograph your peonies.
My neighbors have some peonies,
do you think they would mind if I
took a few shots of their lovelies?
Posted by: Miz Booshay | June 10th, 2008 at 11:48 pm
thank you
Posted by: terlik | June 11th, 2008 at 5:15 am
Thank you for the beautiful tree peonies. I set one of the pics to background on my pc and it came out great. I love all your photos. Thanks Pam
Posted by: Pam | June 11th, 2008 at 8:35 am
Beautiful! You recently answered my question about poison ivy infiltrated lilac trees at the last taping of your show-thanks for the advice, we successfully killed the ivy and saved our beautiful tree w/o being covered in poison ivy! Thanks again!!!
Posted by: Cheryl Crouthamel | June 11th, 2008 at 12:17 pm
I am so jealous of your peonies. They are absolutely stunning! I've tried to grow them here in South Florida, but it is just too darn hot and muggy. Sigh...I'll just have to keep admiring yours.
Posted by: Susan at Sticky,Gooey,Creamy,Chewy | June 11th, 2008 at 1:46 pm
Hello,
I also adore these plants, amazing texture, colours, beautiful!
~ Gabriela ~
Posted by: Gabriela Delworth | June 11th, 2008 at 2:13 pm
They are beautiful! Peonies are my favorite flowers, so I planted a bush in my mother's garden in 2006. It bloomed this year, but the blooms were too heavy for their stems, and they sagged and wilted after a very short bloom. We'll have to give tree peonies a try.
Posted by: Kara | June 11th, 2008 at 6:01 pm
Beautiful pictures! I just grew some TickleMe Plants..that plant that moves when you tickle it! It's fun to watch the leaves move and branches droop when tickled. I can't wait to take pictured of the pretty pink flowers. Maybe I can post them on line, but for now I am having enough fun showing off my TickleMe Plant that I got at http://www.TickleMePlant.com
Posted by: Julia | June 11th, 2008 at 9:27 pm
The peonies are just beautiful. We have one lovely white plant that has been passed down in the family for three generations--in four locations. I actually enjoy seeing the multitude of ants that crawl all over the buds. Isn't this for some sort of sweet nectar they exude? We have had problems with ground hogs in the garden this year. Any suggestions other than Epsom salts?
Posted by: Taylor | June 11th, 2008 at 10:22 pm
Hi, Martha,
Your tree peonies are stunning. Thanks for all your wonderful photos. My great-grandparents planted the herbaceous variety on their farm long ago, both light and deep pink as well as white. I love to gather them each spring.
Your Canon takes good photos.
Kathy
Posted by: Kathy | June 12th, 2008 at 1:20 am
Martha,
Your peony beds are spectacular. We had our first peony open house a couple of weeks ago, since the weather was so warm. If you are going to be in Chester County, PA, we invite you to visit our peony farm where we grow over 150 peony varieties.
L.T. TRAN
Idlewild Farm
Posted by: L.T. TRAN | June 16th, 2008 at 6:07 am
What a wonderful reminder of my dad (who passed away several years ago) whose favorite flower was the peony. Thanks for sharing and for bringing back wonderful memories!
Posted by: Tammy | June 18th, 2008 at 8:29 pm
dang. serious peony envy here in HOT so cal. i'm told they can be grown here but i've failed a couple of times and just recently lost a baby one
Posted by: lisa mertins | June 19th, 2008 at 10:05 am
Just love all of your peonies. I have plants from my great grandmother's home. I moved them to my new house and they just finished blooming. Love their smell, reminds me of my great grandmother.
Posted by: Emily Hoadley | June 20th, 2008 at 10:48 pm
Peonies - not only sre the flowers beautiful, but the foliage is beautiful, too. I hope you have enough time to enjoy all your beautiful plants. It's a world away...
Jody in Seattle
Again I wish I could get the pattern for your WHITE sweater. "If it weren't for gardening, I'd never get up, and if it weren't for knitting, I'd never sit down."
Love you, dear Martha
Posted by: Jody in Seattle | June 21st, 2008 at 1:53 am
I bought two Peony Tree. I planted a month ago. The edge of the leaves turn brown on one of the tree. The other one looks healthy. I do not know why? Please help me. I love peony.
Posted by: margaret Esposito | July 14th, 2008 at 2:38 pm
HI MARTHA,
Have enjoyed you so much over the years. I no longer can get your TV show but enjoy this web page. The Peonies are just wonderful.
Posted by: MaryAnne Corcoran | October 5th, 2008 at 3:25 pm
Magnificent Peonies. Well done Martha. They are a joy.
If I lived elsewhere I might be able to grow them again.
The conditions, weather, soil, climate, support and attention yours enjoy ensures they thrive. But they are not easy to grow if all of the above conditions are not in place.
I would love to see more articles on how to garden in a hotter more bleak environment - without the need to grow succulents. I still want a pretty garden. However where I am now is not ideal for my kind of garden. Here the temperature has been over 100F for a month now, plus sandy alkaline soil - and hot dry winds as well. So plants I love, and have grown successfully elsewhere in acidic well nourished soil, like camellia, rhododendrons, peonies, ferns, tuberose, daphne etc would not survive, even if one tried to locate the coolest side of the home and lavished all the attention in the world on them.
Any tips for such inhospital places for dedicated gardeners living in these less than ideal conditions, please?
Posted by: Suzie | February 6th, 2009 at 1:51 pm