My Blooming Herbaceous Peony Garden
They're up! My herbaceous peony garden is blooming with brilliant pinks and whites!
Every spring, one of the most anticipated sights on the farm is my herbaceous peony garden in full bloom. It's such a delight for all who visit this time of year. When I first planted this garden, I focused on pink varieties, and planted 11-double rows of 22-peony types. I chose the varieties for their colors, their forms and their long blooming periods. I also chose a location across from my Winter House, where there's lots of room and full sun - a spot where I could see the beautiful floral show from my window.
Enjoy these photos.
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- In April, my herbaceous peony bed is filled with almost knee-high stems. Before the flowers appear, we put up stakes, so the peonies are well-supported as they grow. We use natural twine and metal uprights I designed myself for this purpose.
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- By mid-May, the garden is filled with bold colored foliage. I also have beautiful boxwood surrounding the garden on all sides.
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- Look at all the buds atop the stems.
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- A week later, the first flower begins to unfurl.
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- It’s stunning to see every year! One of the reasons these peonies thrive here at my farm is because of the soil. It has a pH of 6.5 to 7.0, which is ideal. It is also amended with superphosphate and Azomite, a natural product mined from an ancient mineral deposit in Utah. These natural additives improve root systems and overall plant vigor, resulting in this fantastic profusion of blooms.
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- This was one of the first white peonies to open. The peony is any plant in the genus Paeonia, the only genus in the family Paeoniaceae. They are native to Asia, Europe, and Western North America.
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- Last week, we mulched the aisles. I am so proud of all the mulch and compost we make right here at the farm.
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- And here is the garden this week – filled with beautiful blooms in shades of pink and white. Among the varieties in my collection – ‘Elsa Sass’, ‘Victorian Blush’, ‘Fringed Ivory’, ‘Martha’, ‘Madylone’, ‘Lullaby Coos’, ‘Vivid Glow’, ‘Angel Cheeks’, ‘Miss America’ and ‘Flying Pink Saucers’.
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- Peonies are one of the best-known and most dearly loved perennials – not surprising considering their beauty, trouble-free nature, and longevity.
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- Herbaceous peonies grow two to four feet tall with sturdy stems and blooms that can reach up to 10-inches wide. We spaced the plants about three to four feet apart to avoid any competing roots.
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- Peony blooms range from simple blossoms to complex clusters with a variety of petal forms.
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- The peony is a perennial flower. The majority of peonies are hybrids and classified as herbaceous, or as deciduous tree peonies. The peony is showy, frilly with tuberous root systems.
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- The peony’s fragrance can vary, but most have sweet, clean scents. And, do you know… pink peonies tend to have stronger fragrances than red peonies? Double form white peonies are also very aromatic.
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- This flower form is a bomb with a large number of petals rising in the center to form a distinct mound.
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- Flower colors come in pink, white, yellow, red and coral and the various shades and tints of each.
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- This is ‘Star Power’. It has pure white, large blossoms with bold round guard petals and red tipped stigmas. When using peonies for cut flowers, gather them early in the morning, and cut those whose buds are beginning to show color and feel similar to firm marshmallows. Always cut the stems at an angle and change the water daily.
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- These blooms just pop in the garden. ‘Beautiful Señorita’, a Japanese variety, has a double row of deep, pink guard petals and a creamy center.
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- The leaves of herbaceous peonies are pointed with a shiny, deep green color.
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- Peonies usually bloom quite easily. Always be sure the plants get at least six hours of full sun per day.
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- Peonies are considered northern flowers – they tolerate and even prefer cold winter temperatures. They are hardy in zones 3 through 8 and need more than 400-hours of temperatures below 40-degrees Fahrenheit annually to break dormancy and bloom properly.
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- For the most part, peonies are disease resistant. They do, however, take some time to get established, so be patient. And if you happen to see ants crawling on your peonies, don’t worry. The insects are attracted to the sugary syrup produced by the buds. Once the flower opens fully, and the sucrose has been finished, the ants disappear.
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- Plant peonies away from trees or shrubs, and provide them with shelter from strong winds.
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- The only disadvantage of peonies is that each field yields one crop of cut flowers for a couple of weeks only once a year, and then that’s it – until the next season when they bloom with splendor once again.
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- But look, there are still more buds just waiting to open – this year’s show at Cantitoe Corners is not over just yet.
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