Time to Stake the Peonies
Everything is growing so quickly and so beautifully here at my Bedford, New York farm.
One of the most anticipated sights on the property is my herbaceous peony garden in full bloom. No garden is complete without these beautiful plants, which are covered with large, imposing flowers in May and June. True perennials, herbaceous peonies can live for 100-years, becoming more impressive over time. Yesterday, my gardeners and outdoor grounds crew staked all the herbaceous peonies in the bed across from my Winter House and Summer House. At maturity, these plants grow to about three-feet tall and need good support, so the massive flower heads don’t flop to the ground.
Here are some photos, enjoy.
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- In early April, most of the herbaceous peonies begin emerging from the ground. This photo was taken when the stems were just about four to five inches tall.
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- But they grow very quickly and by the end of April, these plants are already a foot tall and need to be staked so they are well-bolstered as they mature. They also need staking to keep the large heavy flowers off the ground when blooming. Ring stakes designed for peonies can be found at most garden supply shops – just be sure to put them on early, so the stems can grow easily within the rings.
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- Instead of hoop style peony supports, I use these metal stakes that I designed myself for use at the farm. Each metal support has two eyes, one at the top and one in the middle.
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- Here is how the stake looks when it is upright and in the ground.
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- We also use natural jute twine for this project and for many gardening projects around the farm. Twine like this is available in large spools online and in some specialty garden supply shops.
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- The first step is to insert a stake every four-feet around the perimeter of each row and in the center of each row. Phurba uses a rubber mallet to drive the stakes securely into the ground. Each of the stakes is positioned so the eyes face the same direction.
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- My peony garden is planted with 11 double rows of 22 herbaceous peony plants, 44 in each row of the same variety.
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- Brian starts from the lower stake eyes, ties a simple yet secure knot at one end, and then threads all the stakes around the row.
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- Phurba and Brian do one row at a time. It takes several hours to do all the beds, but it’s the perfect time to stake them since they are not yet full height.
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- Next, Brian works from one end feeding the twine through the upper eyes of the stakes all around the bed and then knotting it at the end.
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- Phurba threads the twine through the holes in the center stakes – these add more support for the peonies in the middle of the rows.
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- Here is a look at how the twine zigzags down the row. The center stakes are placed in between the varieties and diagonal to the outer stakes.
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- The jute twine crisscrosses in the ring. I designed the eyes so they would be big enough for several strings of twine.
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- Phurba then goes around each row gently moving taller plants within the twine sections.
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- Herbaceous peonies are very hardy perennials and thrive in USDA zones 3 to 8. Herbaceous peonies, Paeonia lactiflora, are sometimes called Chinese or common peony. These plants have soft, green stems that die to the ground in fall. Long lived and durable, a peony can easily live 100 years or more.
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- Here is one of the first buds – soon this garden bed will be full of glorious peonies in white and all different shades of pink. Lactiflora cultivars often have sweet fragrance and generally make outstanding cut flowers.
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- Phurba makes sure the twine is fed through the eyes properly while checking that each stake is straight and stable.
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- These herbaceous peonies are surrounded by a hedge of rounded boxwood shrubs, making it a focal point on the property and in the overall landscape here at my farm.
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- At each corner is a ginkgo tree. The ginkgo biloba is one of the most distinct and beautiful of all deciduous trees. It prefers a minimum of four hours of direct, unfiltered sunlight each day. The ginkgo has a cone-like shape when young, and becomes irregularly rounded as it ages.
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- The leaves are unusually fan-shaped, up to three-inches long, with a petiole that is also up to three-inches long. This shape and the elongated petiole cause the foliage to flutter in the slightest breeze. Ginkgo leaves grow and deepen color in summer, then turn a brilliant yellow in autumn.
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- It is easy to see the zigzag pattern above these plants – they’re a bit shorter than the others. I staggered plantings to prolong the blooming season: some bloom earlier, extending the amount of time the plants are in blossom.
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- Here is a view looking across the beds. To thrive, herbaceous peonies need an area with fertile, well drained soil and full sun.
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- And here’s a view from the front. The twine allows support from every direction. I am so happy to say, this garden is a huge success and a joy to see every year. I’ll be sure to share more photos of the peonies when in bloom.
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