'Heritage' peonies!

Look what I have!
The elderly lady who lived across the street was moved into a seniors home in November. House empty since then, lately family members have been moving things out of the house, obviously getting rid of stuff- dumpster etc. I went across yesterday to ask and the house is actually sold and goes to new owner tomorrow- a developer so it will go down and a new duplex or two infills in its place. So I asked her about plants - she said take what ever you want. Discovered lots of peonies in t he back yard. While digging one up son of owner came out and asked if I was Peony Rescue!!!!!
They did not remember specific plant colors except for one by the back door they were sure was red. Others red/pink/white. Probably planted about 60 years ago ( you may not remember but I was rescuing 60 year old peonies a couple of years ago also) . I dug from 4 different plants , took them home and cleaned them up and potted what I had- I now have 16 pots ready for new homes- 4 of each color, whatever they are. Have named them after the family since don't know color- told the daughter to tell her mother Clare( the red peony) was now planted in my yard!

I already have some members of our local peony group interested, whatever is left I will look after until plant share in September.

Carol, how wonderful. What a treasure. I really love the fact that you named them after members of the family. 60 year old peonies! The recipients will be very fortunate.

That's wonderful! I'm sure it will make your LOL (little old lady) neighbor very happy.

Great rescue Fancyvan, the family must be so touched, that you named them, after each one of them. Very thoughtful thing to do.

You probably should put some aside for future requests from members of that family that might come looking for the lady's peonies.

That is wonderful. I bet the gardener is glad that the you rescued the plants. I would hate for my beloved plants to be "rounded up".

I wish that my "modern" peonies had the fragrance of the ones my grandmothers used to grow. They grew different shades of pink peonies, one slightly brighter than the other. Both had the most wonderful fragrance - one bloom could fill a room with scent for days. I got Sandra Bernhardt, supposedly a fragrant peony, NOT. It looks like my grandmother's peony, but it doesn't smell like it.

GQ. I know what you mean. Our memory for smells goes pretty directly to the brain, so we can remember and identify a scent for many years. I'm still looking for my grandmother's peonies, and I am NOT finding the fragrance yet either. But I don't get out to other people's gardens or to shows,and I'm sure Sarah B wasn't one of them in my case. I've especially wondered about the French peonies, including Lemoine, but Kelways was around then too.

I was even tempted to go to her old house and ask the owners if I could dig out a few....but I would feel so odd. They may not even be there now. Wouldn't that be terrible - the "perfect" peonies in the compost heap in the sky. They were just big floppy garishly bright pink things, but the scent.....

If I keep sniffing peonies, eventually I'll find one I like. My grandmothers probably just got regular peonies from the local plant nursery. Actually my other grandmother probably got hers from a friend or as a mother day's gift - she rarely bought her anything special for herself. We used to go for walks - deadheading pretty blooms for the seeds as we strolled. We also collected rocks. She even let me grow an avocado pit, orange pips, a pineapple top...all sorts of fun things.

I have a fun picture of my grandmother dressed for a costume party with a peony lei. I'll try to find it. I also remember taking pictures several time with the plant as a backdrop. She was very proud of her garden and plants.

That is so fun. I am looking for a photo in which I'm wearing my first communion dress in front of the blooming peonies, holding my black cat.