Spring Week 14 - Forever Peonies.....

Weekly Geneabloggers   Week #14 –  Spring. What was spring like where and when you grew up? Describe not only the climate, but how the season influenced your activities, food choices, etc. This challenge runs from Saturday, April 2, 2011 through Friday, April 8, 2011.

A Simple ...  Peonie

here's to last year May 2010

 This is the front yard which has two peonie plants and the red rose bush...

These were the blooms - beautiful that I displayed at work...

 The back yard display is a white peonie .... next to a forever garlic plant!!!

Now for 2011

Picture taken 3-5-2011

Just peeping out of the front yard/ground area...

there are two bushed planted by my daddy... at least early 1980's

 And this picture date is 3-22-2011

I purchased round support stakes this year as these get really heavy!

If I can name them as such... the ball-heads are forming for the blooms!   So Happy!

The rose bush was cut-low...so we'll see how it blooms next to the Redbirds.... I'm trying to cover worn out shutters on the house front!!

Reviewing my Care Notes..... Garden peonies are herbaceous perennials (height 20 to 36 inches)
Peonies grow best in full sun, but will tolerate light shade. Peonies require winter cold to flower. Flower size will decrease due to root competition from nearby trees and shrubs. Peonies prefer a well-drained soil with a pH of 6.0 to 7.0. Roots will quickly rot in poorly drained soil; consider planting in a raised bed.
The best time to plant peonies is in early fall — September and October are ideal

These bush-style plants are known to live for years, some varieties for over a hundred years, and others for a lifetime. Blooms in a vast range of color and mixed color variations appear in early summer and usually last for several weeks. The plants grow from 24 to 48 inches high and usually require staking due to the weight of the blooms.


 There are few perennials that can rival them for floral display and foliage as they offer beautiful flowers in the spring and provide good foliage throughout the summer. Their exquisite, large blossoms, often fragrant, make excellent cut flowers and the foliage provides a background for annuals or other perennials. Planted at the back of a perennial bed, the deeply cut, glossy green foliage makes a pleasing background throughout the summer for other plants.

.....if you want to propagate them, carefully lift the clump and wash away the soil to expose the eyes. Use a clean, sharp knife to divide the clump into sections making sure that each section have three to five eyes and good roots. Replant the sections immediately and if this is not possible keep new divisions in a shady area and do not allow them to become dry.

You can also propagate peonies from seeds. Sow the seeds in containers outdoor in autumn or early winter, but you must have patience because some of them might take 2-3 years to germinate.   

The presence of ants on peony blossoms is neither beneficial nor harmful to the plant so there is no need to spray them. Ants are attracted to peonies because of the nectar they produce while in bud.