Really nice job, Donna. :)
Yes, cooler weather is on the way. Upper 70's for the next week, which is rather cool for this time of year but... yippee!
2011 Peonies IV
White Cap is Steve's favorite peony. He kindly sent it to me as a gift. It's become just about my favorite too.
At last! First peony opened today. It was grown from seed sent to Frost Hill Farm from Russia. Frost Hill's owner didn't think it looked like Red Charm and sold it as a NOID (or maybe an A-noid since he put four years into raising it from seed:-)). It looks like a Red Charm to me. What sayest you?
I was trying to compare it to compare it to pics I took of Red Charm, but I'm not sure. But Steve owns Red Charm, and I'll bet he can help.
Festiva Maxima in the ground.
It has just started to bloom.
The flowers have many different shapes.
Different colors too.
Because it has many sidebuds, different parts of the plants bloom at different times, for a long season. Al of these pictures were taken on the same day.
I heartily recommend this peony. Wonderful fresh scent too, and quite strong stems.
This message was edited Jun 8, 2011 3:48 PM
OK crow, I'm inclined to doubt its the same as red charm, because of petal formation, and maybe color, but the experts ought to know. Does yours mature into a big rounded bomb form like Red Charm? It's still a keeper, maybe with a Russian name?
Donna, in my humble opinion, one can't improve upon a beautiful mature FM peony like yours. I just want to hug the blossoms.
Rosemary, we will see over the next few days as this is the first year for the Russian Charm:-) Just hope it survives the severe thunderstorm that is just now passing overhead!
Donna, they're going great guns and look great! I'm tempted to try to containerize a few peonies. My containers are huge, and I'm hesitant to fill them all the way because they'll be so heavy.
Beautiful blooms, Donna. I see a hint of yellow in yours... so perhaps one of my peonies that came with the house really is FM.
Having bloom envy right now. Everyone's blooms are beautiful. It's nice to see blossoms now since our season in the south is over. Keep those pics coming. Annette
I think that there is a reason why some peonies stick around. FM is 160 years old. And yes, mine has traces of yellow in SOME of the blooms. And I DO hug them. I get down on my knees and stick my nose in the blooms. In many ways it looks unreal. Ah, those French!
Another pot peony, Coral Charm, although the light is distorting the color. This is the first time I have seen it bloom. It got stomped on in my yard the first two years it was in the ground. These little guys are vert resilient.
This message was edited Jun 8, 2011 9:56 PM
Wow, beautiful peonies everyone....sorry, been traveling this week.
Donna, glad to see your WC and FM have come through the move so beautifully!! You obviously know how to transition them to pots. Your FM in the ground looks awesome. Yes, I would have to agree, White Cap is just about my favorite ;-)
ok, doesn't look like Red Charm to me; RC is unmistalable and a huge red bomb. One of the biggest flowers I have seen among peonies. Either way it is very pretty.
Moby, looks like FM to me - though there are so many sports of FM out now it is sometimes hard to tell them apart!
cathy, I love your pink peony in post ending #4176, very prolific.
Rosenmary, my Do Tell looked really washed out in the center this year. I know Diann (Ticker) who used to post here was very disappointed in hers too. Mine seemed vigorous in growth but the flowers didn't look great. Probably not a peony I'd buy again.
Northeast is getting pelted by rain. I can see the first Bartzella bloom holding up valiantly though the iris around it are taking a beating.
Well finally a peony blooms!
Little Red Gem is the first this year- might have another in a day or so. FernLeaf is a big disappointment this year, buds are still small.
Close up- a touch out of focus- too early in the morning!
Carol! At last! I love your fernies. Keep them coming.
And Steve - I didn't know there were a lot of sports of FM. But it makes sense. That baby is OLD!
Here is another look at my "Russian Charm" as it expands. It does seem small compared to the Red Charm at my local grower but then it is only a one year old plant so she says wait and see. All my peonies have been planted from pots in the spring and do fine. Roughly 80% bloom the following year so that certainly works for me. Way to go Fancy! Given my bloom time my grower thinks I am a zone 3 as well. I must get some fernies.
Congratulations fancyvan on your first peony bloom!!!! Wish mine were still blooming - your fernie is very pretty.
Okcrow, love your Russian Charm...what a beauty! Just the form I like.
Hurray! The Northern gardens are abloom.
I'm pleased to report that Bartzella shrugged off rain.
Here's Bartzella.
Nicholas Shaylor has a pink edge to the cup shaped white blooms.
Nancy Nora is better than I expected for a bush planted last year. I don't know yet if some of the other plants will achieve a bloom from their buds.
Paula Fay with a bee and an ant!
I just love Bart. I have one on order for fall shipping - yeah! ~Jan
Thanks to all who sent encouraging messages. There's a chance a few more roots from last fall will still achieve blossoms, but not likely much. Mocking my effort is this huge old farmstead pink peony that I severely severed by mistake last fall. I had thrown the woody root and eyes into the yard waste for over a month (I felt guilty--It felt like homicide), then I got myself collected again and replanted the pieces. They all came back, even a little blossom--more than forgiving.
And now its Paula Fay--deja vu all over again, I love seeing it.
And Phil, you won't regret getting a Bart. Mine was just a root last fall.
Wish I could tke a drive up north soon, but folks' pictures will have to suffice.
Windchimes bloomed yesterday
I don't think anything else is close to blooming unless we get some warm weather- It has been raining almost all day .
This message was edited Jun 11, 2011 7:32 PM
This message was edited Jun 11, 2011 7:33 PM
Oops I picked the wrong picture!
I like your Windchimes, Donna. The leaf looks particularly elongated if I'm seeing it correctly, and it has a sunny disposition.
Gardeners rarely have "just the right" weather conditions, do we? :-) For example, my area has been so hot and dry so early that we've been asked for voluntary conservation according to house number, one step short of mandatory restrictions with fines for violation. I'm supposed to water Thursdays and Sundays only. Have a pier and beam house on heavy clay soil--which is cracking all over the place, some more than an inch wide. Having to water the foundation--which I hate because it feels like a waste. That water should be going to flowers!!! But, it's that or call foundation repair because I have more cracks in the walls--which I also hate. :/ Guess my point is, no matter the conditions, gardeners find a way to grow that which they love. And sharing our efforts to do so encourages others to try it, too. Peonies being a prominent demonstration of that concept. LOL
My poor little newbie Shima Nishiki. Have my doubts about it's survival. Determined to baby and doctor it, though because the blooms are GORGEOUS. (see what i mean?)
Debra, I'm with you about trying to grow stuff. Would a mini umbrella help until you can water the shima nishiki more? Even this far north, my tree peonies seem to like a fair amount of shade from the midday sun.
Mine are officially dead from the mice. Well, one Chinese is sending up shoots but the wooden part up top is all dead on all three. On the good side a Chinese herbaceous I have tended for about four years has a bud on it. Hope it makes it to maturity as it is pretty tiny. Red charm and the fern leaf are about the burst their buds finally.
Debra, just keep them watered.....mid-summer leaf dieback, especially on a young plant, is not uncommon and doesn't mean it will die. It is horrible here, you're right, but I find as the peonies are in the ground longer they seem to withstand better. An Rosemary's idea about some shade during part of the day is a good one....try it; can't hurt. Rosemary, I have a Bart and your Nancy Nora looks great...you can just see the subtle pink.
Donna, I have seen several "Festiva" variants depending on year at Klehm's site (none right now unfortunately). I have Powder Puff but have not tried the others yet. Seems to like the climate here well enough and really is like a big powder puff but not so frangrant as the original is the drawback.
Rosemary and Steve, it's in high shade almost all day. Only gets direct Eastern sun for an hour or so starting about 9:00, and an hour or so of direct Western sun from 4:00-5:00. Because it has been so dry here, I water it three times a week. Will keep that up with fingers crossed. :-) Think I will take the umbrella idea, though, and try it on the Wedding Gown Hydrangea I'm experimenting with this year. It started drooping already with just a couple of hours morning sun. :/
Thank you both.
Temporary shade!
Love the temporary shade!
Lady Alexandra Duff "got away from me" since last year it did not need staking, so it's lolling a bit in the bright sun.
But I still love the flowers.
