My tree peonies are looking so incredibly beautiful this year.
I adore tree peonies and have been collecting them for a long time. Here at my Bedford, New York farm, I have a tree peony border planted in semi-shade under a stand of giant, maples across from my Summer House. Many of the specimens were transplanted from my Turkey Hill garden while others were added more recently. All of them continue to thrive. Unfortunately, the tree peony season is very short - only seven to 10 days, but these unimaginably large, and often fragrant, white, pink, yellow, red, and burgundy flowers are some of my favorites and they’re blooming right now.
In one corner of my property, beneath these tall trees wrapped in climbing hydrangea vines, is one of my favorite garden borders here at the farm.
I love my curving border of tree peonies, Paeonia suffruticosa. There are very few plants that can compete with a tree peony in full bloom. They flower from late April to early May but the season often varies from year to year.
Less than two weeks ago, this garden only had one or two blossoming peonies.
And yesterday, it was filled with gorgeous, colorful flowers. They look so pretty in front of the blooming azaleas, which were at their peak last week.
Unlike the more common herbaceous peonies, which flop over if not staked, tree peonies bloom on graceful woody stems. Many of my established shrubs came from Peony’s Envy in Bernardsville, New Jersey. I also have some from Cricket Hill Garden in Thomaston, Connecticut.
Native to Europe and Asia, peonies were brought over to England by the Romans in the year 1200. In ancient times, peonies were used for medicinal purposes including curing headaches, relieving pain during childbirth, and for the treatment of asthma.
Peonies are the floral symbol of China. Paintings of peonies are often seen hanging on the wall in order to bring good luck. These large blooms look stunning in any color.
In Japan, the peony is looked upon as the humble king of flowers and is a symbol of strength, courage, and future good fortune.
Marco Polo, the famous merchant and explorer described peonies as “roses as big as cabbages”. These flowers are nearly 10-inches wide.
When planting tree peonies, choose a well-drained location, with four to six hours of direct sun or dappled sun and shade all day – a place protected from drying winds is also helpful.
Most tree peonies will grow four to seven feet tall and about four to five feet wide, so select a spot that can also accommodate a mature plant.
Tree peonies prefer airy, reasonably open spaces as air movement around the plant helps prevent fungal diseases like peony wilt.
They come in colors that include all ranges of white, pink, magenta, and dark maroon.
Peonies bloom in a wide range of forms, from simple, elegant singles to massive doubles with hundreds of petals. The best soil for growing must be deep, rich, and loose, with a pH between 6.5 and 7.0 – peonies prefer slightly alkaline soil.
The flowers of the tree peony are usually much larger than its herbaceous peony cousins, but both come in single and double forms.
Once established, tree peonies are drought-tolerant plants. Excess water will suffocate the roots, so do not water until the soil is dry below the surface.
Pink flowers are more fragrant then maroon flowers. Plus, they are deer resistant, which makes them even more appealing.
And fall is the best season to plant tree peonies because it helps the development of new roots and the recovery for normal growth the following spring.
Nearby, behind my Summer House, I have this stunning formal sunken garden where I grow more gorgeous tree peonies.
Look at these beauties – they are also blooming so wonderfully this season. It may take two to three years for a plant to settle in before blooming heavily, but the wait is worth it to any gardener.
A mature plant can have an abundance of flowers. Peony leaves are alternate and deeply dissected. Leaflets are stalked, pale green above, blue-green beneath, and up to four inches in size.
Tree peonies are heavy feeders and respond well to a generous, early autumn top dressing of bone meal fertilizer. The high potash content encourages flowers to develop. A light sprinkling of a general fertilizer can be applied in spring.
Here is a creamy yellow peony blooming perfectly in my Summer House garden.
And here’s another yellow peony that’s still opening. Flower buds produce large quantities of nectar which attracts ants. In fact, ants play a role in the opening of flower buds and provide protection against harmful insects. Flowers emit a subtle, sweet fragrance that also attracts pollinating wasps and flies.
They don’t need much, but I often prune the tree peonies myself and have found that pruning to about a four to five-foot height creates a wonderful eye-level view of blooms.
The peony is a perennial plant that can survive up to 100-years when it is cultivated under optimal conditions. I look forward to many, many seasons of these most impressive flowers.
For donkeys, there's nothing quite like rolling in a fresh patch of dirt. And, while rolling on the ground helps to scratch their backs, it's also a natural behavior for donkeys to cover themselves in the dust, which provides great insulation and protection from extreme cold and heat.
Here at my farm, my five donkeys, Rufus, Clive, Billie, Jude “JJ” Junior, and Truman “TJ” Junior, are no different - they, too, “live to roll.” However this week, the donkeys also got bathed - each one was thoroughly washed, soaped, and rinsed. My stable crew does this often during the warmer months to keep them clean and healthy.
Enjoy these fun photos of “bath time.”
During the day, my donkeys spend their time in their paddock, where they are free to play. When they return to the stable every afternoon, they are groomed. On this day, they’re also getting the full “spa treatment” – baths. Rufus has a little to say about that.
Here are the two youngest donkeys, Jude “JJ” Junior and Truman “TJ” Junior, also getting called for their baths.
The shower stall is located at one end of my stable. It is a large stall with padded lower walls for the equines’ safety. The faucets are housed in the cabinet on the right to keep them out of the way. The shower stall is also equipped with heaters suspended from the ceiling if needed.
The boom sprayer is very flexible and can swivel around easily.
And the water is temperature-controlled – the thermometer is easy to read in the shower cabinet.
Donkeys are herd animals, so they don’t like being separated from other members of their pack, so baths for the donkeys are done just outside the stall, where there is more room. For this trio, as each one is bathed, the other two stand nearby.
For bath time, the donkeys are secured to a line near the shower. All three donkeys are very well-behaved and very patient. Rufus is first. Here, Helen starts by wetting his coat thoroughly with warm water.
Using a washing mitt specifically designed for equine coats, Dolma pours a good amount of shampoo onto the mitt. The donkeys are washed with a tea-tree oil-based shampoo. It’s derived from plant materials with no sulfates and contains tea tree oil, peppermint oil, and aloe vera.
Dolma begins to scrub the soap into the coat. The washing mitt also helps to loosen dirt and debris.
Dolma scrubs the shampoo until it lathers. Rufus doesn’t mind the back massage – he stays very still.
Donkey coats are very thick, and they hold lots of dust and dirt. It is important to get the entire coat wet and well soaped so it can be cleaned properly.
After a good scrub, Rufus is carefully rinsed. Donkeys are happiest when they are with their friends, so as long as he can see Clive and Billie, all is well.
Here, Clive is on the left, and Billie is on the right. It’s their turn to be soaped and cleaned. All three donkeys get along exceptionally well. They are also very friendly and love greeting anyone who visits.
Billie is wet first – much of the dust and dirt just rinses off before they are even soaped down. Billie is a female donkey, or jenny – Billie and JJ are the only females in my stable.
Here’s Clive getting soaped and massaged.
It’s also important to wash the hooves, legs, and belly. Helen rinses every leg thoroughly – so much dirt can accumulate in their coats.
Here, the rinsing begins – look at all the dirt and dust just washing out of the coat.
Warm water is always used to rinse the shampoo off the donkeys. And the baths are done as quickly as possible, so they don’t get chills. Fortunately, this day is very mild.
And lastly, Helen uses a moist hand towel to gently clean Clive’s face. It is important not to get any soap, shampoo, or water in their eyes. Clive doesn’t mind this at all.
The donkeys are left to dry naturally on this warm spring day. In very cold weather, they are covered with towels. And that’s it – they’re all clean and ready to return to their stall.
The two babies are a bit more challenging to coax into the shower. Here, Dolma uses a treat to lure JJ. TJ is several feet behind, but he doesn’t look too interested in having a bath either.
After a few minutes both donkeys are ready and relaxed. Helen quickly starts wetting their entire bodies. Once she feels the warm water, JJ seems to like bath time. Donkey coats come in various colors, such as black, brown, white, gray, or spotted. My donkeys have such pretty markings.
Helen lathers the rump and underneath TJ’s tail. The shampoo is very gentle and soothing to the skin. After they are completely lathered up, Helen and Dolma will wait a few minutes to allow the shampoo to soak into the coats.
Both donkeys are rinsed multiple times to be sure they are thoroughly clean and soap-free.
JJ looks and smells very clean. As warmer weather sets in, the donkeys will be washed as much as every other week.
And don’t forget the tail – it can also get quite dirty.
Two young donkeys washed and squeaky clean. They’re ready for the long holiday weekend.
JJ and TJ are led back to their stall to dry and eat dinner. Donkeys have a very keen sense of curiosity, as shown by their forward ear carriage in this photo – maybe they’re expecting more treats after their baths.
The three other donkeys next door are waiting patiently for their meal as well. That bath wasn’t so bad, Rufus, was it? Don’t tell them, but this week, they’re also scheduled for their summer haircuts.
The beds in my vegetable garden are filling up quickly.
My gardeners and outdoor grounds crew have been very busy in the vegetable garden down by my chicken coops. After making all the beds and spreading hay on the main footpath, they planted a number of crops. Many plants were started from seed in the greenhouse, such as the brassicas - kale, broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage - I love these vegetables and always plant enough to share with my family and friends. Soon the entire garden will be filled with rows of wonderful and nutritious produce.
Enjoy these photos.
I am always thinking of new ways to improve the appearance and function of my gardens. This year, I decided to change the main pathway in my vegetable garden slightly by adding weed cloth under the hay, so it would cut down on maintenance time in this large space.
Phurba begins by laying down the weed cloth in the center of the garden. Twine is used ensuring the path is aligned properly all the way to the opposite end of the garden.
To keep the weed cloth secure, Phurba places garden sod staples every few feet down the entire length of the path.
The path is about four feet wide to accommodate the hoses and our stand-up tripod sprinklers from Gilmour. Weed cloth is available at garden shops and comes in a variety of widths.
Next, Phurba drops a two-inch layer of hay on the path.
When it comes to creating and maintaining a healthy garden, proper soil preparation is crucial. Several weeks ago, the area was tilled and amended with nutrient-rich compost. Just like we did last year, we built raised, well-aerated smaller beds on one side instead of just long rows. This makes better use of the space and allows us to plant more.
A portion of one side was left as long rows for the tomatoes. The deep, organically rich soil will encourage and support the growth of all the healthy root systems.
Some of the first plants we get into the ground include the brassicas. Brassica is a genus of plants in the mustard family. Members are informally known as cruciferous vegetables, cabbages, or mustard plants. They are also sometimes called cole crops – cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, and kale – all started from seed in the greenhouse.
Ryan thinks through the measurements of each bed to assess how many rows of each vegetable can be planted in the space. He takes into consideration the number of plants and the size of the vegetables when mature. Ryan places as many as he can in the bed without compromising the needs of each plant.
As Ryan puts down each plant, Phurba follows six-feet behind to dig the holes so that each one goes deep into the ground – about half the stem should be buried.
Phurba uses a narrow trowel. it is made of stainless steel, with a five-inch by three-inch blade and a five-inch handle.
Phurba places the plant in the hole, backfills, and then lightly tamps down on the soil around the plant.
Cauliflower plants grow best in cool daytime temperatures of 70 to 80-degrees Fahrenheit with lots of sun and moist soil conditions high in organic matter.
Here, one can see how they are planted so they all have enough room to grow. The plants are at least 12 inches apart. The trick to growing brassicas is steady, uninterrupted growth. That means rich soil, plenty of water, and good fertilization.
Phurba continues to plant the cauliflower in this corner of the vegetable garden. My family and I love these vegetables, so I like to plant a lot of cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage, and kale.
It is very easy to plant in raised beds because of the light, fluffy, well-drained soil, which encourages vigorous plant growth.
And we always rotate our crops every year. Rotating them gives various nutrients to the soil and improves soil stability by alternating between crops with deep roots and those with shallow roots. Pests are also deterred by eliminating their food source on a regular basis.
Ryan and Phurba also planted broccoli. Broccoli is one of the healthiest vegetables and is high in vitamin-C and fiber.
Also planted here is the cabbage. The planting season for cabbage is quite long. Early cabbage should be transplanted as soon as possible so that it can mature before the summertime heat. Red, or purple, cabbage is often used raw for salads and coleslaw. It contains 10-times more vitamin-A and twice as much iron as green cabbage. For cabbage, seeding to harvest takes 60 to 100 days, depending on the variety.
We still have lots of room to plant more in the coming weeks. I am already looking forward to the first harvest. What are you planting in your vegetable garden this season?
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