Grace Root is described as 'light salmon' but it looks more like 'hot watermelon' to me. :)
2011 Peonies IV
A maiden bloom on Athena.
Early Glow
Love the color of grace root, Where did you get it from?
Thanks for the new thread Moby- I was thinking the same thing!
Grace Root is beautiful.
I have 4 peonies planted new last fall that had not shown a sign of life last week so I went grubbing around and found some shoots, dont know if I put them a bit deep or if it is just this crazy year, they are all up now thank goodness. First time I ever had that happen. And my old Raspberry Sunday is not up yet either
My peonies are a couple weeks later that usual ~ very cool spring!
Grace Root came from Hollingsworth, as have most of mine that aren't hand-me-downs. They have a booth at the same time that we have our lily society bulb sale in the spring. Makes it way too easy. :)
Portland was once again subject to gully washers. Cant speak for wilsonville. There were moments of sun in the morning but it got really bad in the afternoon. Headed homse tomorrow. Wish i could take a dozenpeonies withme. Have never seen so many beautifulplants ... fields of them. And it gave me an appreciation for the bush itself .. some almost reddish green strong stems. Some light green and not so strong. I took pictures to try to remember. It has been in the 70's back home, and sunny. Can hardly wait to see my garden
thank you for the new thread. :-)
Moby, I love your blooms! And thanks for the new thread.
Just put Grace Root on my "what to buy list"! Athena already on it. Thanks Moby.
Wilsonville area had heavy rains and hail. Will post pictures later. Peonies are about 3-4 weeks behind so probably will have a smaller display than last year. But it was great walking into the prep room this evening and taking a deep breath.
Thats nice peonies and lilies at the same place now that A good thing!!! Thats for the info....Sharon
Moby, this is my first born this year. She opened this morning, and her friends are on the way. She looks something like your Grace Root, but I'd have to check the packages I've kept to verify. I'm so excited, I could burst. They are actually coming out for Memorial Day!
Marcia
Yeah, thanks for the new thread,,,the other one was taking forever to load even on a fast connection!
Moby, your peonies are beautiful. Especially like your "Grace Root".
Cathy, absolutely LOVE that bright pink one you just posted. Definitely a winner.
That Grace Root is beautiful ~j
As requested, here is a Misaka, later in the season with some faded blooms too.
Misaka ITOH also held up well with the torrential rains during its bloom season.
I hope to ID this Noid pink TP planted last season. When I buy them without labels, I get them for less than $40. A local gardener from Japan said she would read the characters on the paper tags for me.
Here you can see the subtle shading in the petals. Does anyone with Kamata nishiki think there is any similarity?
Please excuse my brain fog. This is Paula Fay, not Charlotte Fay, and it is vigorous considering it's less than a year since I planted the box store nursery pot.
The color is deep fuschia pink.
And Blaze opens in bright red.
But it will probably be later next year. It's from a box store pot.
He is a "before" shot of my white peony garden. So far there are five peonies amidst the alliums and tulips, and in front of some young reblooming lilacs. I plan to move this row as the background plants mature. There may be another two rows of white or blush peonies next year. Wasn't it Cem who introduced us to the biodegradable landscape fabric? Thanks, Cem.
And here is another spot that I call my coral peony garden, in progress. It's very wild and previously completely overgrown, with major roots to dig up. I thought the corals might stand a chance in the border. The Spanish bluebells will fade away within a few weeks but hopefully the wild geranium will continue to flourish throughout the season.
Rosemary, thank you for the photos. :-) Lots of work, there.
Debra
Rosemary, beautiful blooms. BTW, good luck with the new peony garden.
Yes, I love the biodegradable landscape fabric. No more digging up grass to create new beds. Annette
I thought this was similar to Grace Root, but after getting off my butt and looking for the old notes, I think it is Nymphe, a semi-double, prolific and an early riser.
I believe this is bowl of beauty. Doing nicely this year.
Raspberry sundae has always been a favorite, and she's smiling as passersby.
Rosemary, they're doing you proud. Just gorgeous. I guess in the northeast we're just catching up.
Yay!!! The Northeast is having our turn.
For those that use various fabrics without incorporating some of the underlying soil, your plants will try to use up what they are planted in before they attempt to go into the underlying soil. When you think the underlying grass is dead perhaps next spring you could try piercing into the under soil to force the roots to go down Unless they do this they will be like a plant in a pot where each year the surface starts shrinking leaving less nutrients for the plants.
Someone had placed at least 4 inches of very good topsoil on the lawn before we moved in. After several years the grass was pealing up in strips and dying because it had only grown in the topsoil. Hoping I am wrong but think the same could happen if you plant in medium on top of the soil and do not attempt to make the roots go into the underlying soil.
Interesting, because I am in the process of doing this with a front garden I am putting in. I am bricking the area up, either 2, or 3 high, (8 - 12 inches high) laying down newspaper, then putting good topsoil on top of it. I was told that doing this, would be less weeds in the long run, because when you are turning over the sod, and 'releasing' all those weeds & grass seeds.
I was hoping that the newspaper would kill the grass, and both would decompose into a nice composty medium, and as the plants got bigger their roots would grow down into it.
So perhaps I need to dig some 'plugs' out first?
What are others thoughts on this? ~j
My peonies were planted by digging through the landscape fabric, into the underlying ground and the soil was amended prior to the plants going in.
If I were putting annuals in the new bed, I wouldn't worry about the sod but otherwise I'd be inclined to take out a chunk of sod where the plants are going to placed.
Rosemary, your Misaka is beautiful ~ I love the coloring.
Cathy, that is an exceptionally pretty pic of Raspberry Sundae.
It will be perennials. Daylilies, Some Iris, my 3 peonies I have on order, and a few plants that are already located there, just have to be moved into a better location - a perennial geranium, an ornamental grass, and a stemless evening primrose.
I guess what I will do is as mentioned, dig down through the grass in the locations of the perennials - I may even use a post hole digger to minimized the impact with the surrounding, buried grass. I figured I would have to do it with the peonies, but was hoping I wouldn't have to do it with the iris & DL. You know, the less work, the better. ~j
Thanks for the warning, Annette. I'm just trying to kill the grass so I can get a spade in there. Years ago before I wore steel toed shoes in the garden, I dislocated a toe by digging, so this fabric is a real boon to me. I'm not strong enough to use a rotary tiller myself, and I've got my son busy planting new trees as it is. Since I try to use every square inch of bedding, I probably won't even get away with digging down only where the peonies go in the fall, but it's a hopeful thought. Also hopeful is that this particular spot has pretty good soil already.
Well heck, I'm all for less work! I suppose it depends on how much you're building it up and how deep the roots of the perennials. What I'd want to avoid are roots that would be as deep as the sod before it breaks down in the next year.
Here's Aerie
Another beauty, Moby!