The peonies have started growing in GA, thanks to the early warm temps here, and all of the rain that we've been receiving, so I'll start this year off by showing the progression of growth of these wonderful plants until they bloom.
Here are Shima Nishiki, Shojuraku, Salmon Dream, Blaze and one of my noid's.
Athena, Sorbet, Command Performance, My Love, and Bowl of Beauty. The picture of Athena was taken today, the others on 2/26, and they've grown since then. I'll post some updated pictures in the next few days.
Whoo hoo! Kept them coming! Please!
Hey Donna, I sure will. Noticed any growth up north yet?
So nice to see, Cem!
It will come, Donna, it will come.
Lots and lots of red, but no unfurling. I had eyes on virtually all of them all winter. Some that had not shown eyes (Lady Alexandra Duff and Kansas, truly ripped out of the ground last October) are showing eyes. I still have three peonies in pots! So I moved them from the garage to a cold front room or the back porch so that they could get some light, since my new garage has no windows. Now that I see all those eyes, I am confident.
Yes, Polly dear, it will come!
Some of mine also are still just eyes, including Red Charm , and I could have kicked my self for stepping on it while taking pictures, since I didn't realize that it had gotten covered up by the pine straw that had blown over it :-( It still has one good eye, so maybe I'll still get some blooms this year.
The squirrels took two major chomps out of White Frost last year. And I do mean major. I thought that it would not bloom. Much to my surprise, a few of weeks later it started sprouting from other parts of the plant. So don't be surprised if yours does too!
I can only hope. I was so looking forward to seeing Red Charm's blooms.
Here is my pride and joy: yellow Itoh peony ... ta daaaaa
WOW, what fabulous growth!!!! Which one is it?
Howdy Cem, Donna and DThor! Wow, I am jealous - dthor and Cem, your peonies look great. I was so used to being one of the early ones to report growth and bloom but not anymore. However we have had a mild winter too and I can see red pips on mine. Donna, how about you? Will be interesting to see how yours come along Cem/drthor so keep posting.
Steve
Ya'll are not going to believe this, I went outside to take a few pictures today, braving the cold and OMG Shima Nishiki has a bud. Now I'll have to protect it this week, we're getting down to freezing tomorrow night. Also, here are pics of the new beds I did last spring. The peonies planted last fall are sharing the beds with spring blooming bulbs, irises, and lilies, with daylilies lining the edges.
Very lovely area!
Oh, wow, Cem! Drthor! It's Texas and Georgia, neck and neck. Spring must be coming!
Ok Donna, don't shudder as you read this, LOL. Here's a picture of the Knock Out roses (I know eewwww!!!), by my back deck, that's under planted with variegated Vinca, and in front of them are Peony Prima Primavera which is white outer petals with a lemon yelllow center, peonies Bowl of Cream, Imaculee which still has pips, and Gardenia which has now sprouted like BoC. I can't wait to see the combination of red from the roses with the white peonies, and the variegated Vinca underneath.
Here are Elizabeth Foster, Paula Fay which continues to grow, Merry Mayshine, a fernleaf that was shipped to me by accident from the fall co-op, Itoh Keiko which is full of pips, and finally Bartzella which is still asleep, but close to Shima Nishiki.
LOL! If someone as wonderful as you has KO's maybe they aren't so terrible! Besides, you have three, not 30 like my exneighbor!
Did I forget to say I have a few in front too, but definitely not 31. That was before I knew better, LOL. Then one year my DH gave me a rose garden for Valentines, and another for my birthday the following year, which did not include any KO's, thank goodness. He even helped me plant them. I'll have to round up a few pics and post them later.
I think that you are very sweet to forgive me for my KO comments. You are a person of not only taste, but kindness.
Oh Donna, blushing here. You're entitled to your a opinion about any plant you want :-), and I've learned so much about roses from your posts in the rose forum, and some great sites to order from. That's why we share info so that we can learn from each other. DG has made me such a better gardener, and I'm glad to have found others who are so passionate about what they grow. My friends don't have a clue, LOL.
hi how far up north are looking for ??
here in manitoba canada we're still under a couple of feet of snow, and the forecast
is calling for more this week. we've actually had a very mild winter this year, i'm looking
forward to no die-back on my shrubs !! i'm the proud owner of about 12 varieties, this year i just picked up 'celebrity' and 'lady liberty' they're in a bar fridge till i can plant. last year i planted 'buckeye belle ''festiva maxima' and 'do tell'. peonies do very well here.
my sister has some that were planted probably 50 years ago. and i hear of abandoned farm sites where the peonies are still flowering. i think my favorite is sword dance although a lady in town gave us a few pieces of her double fern-leaf variety. it's been
very slow to take and hasn't flowered yet.....but i'm sure it will !!!!
Hey lindypuddin, I don't envy you the snow. I'm glad to hear that peonies do well for you in Canada. I got Buckeye Bell last spring, and Sword Dance from a fall co-op that was planted last fall. I never grown a fern leaf variety before, but accidentally got Merry Mayshine as part of my fall order. I'm looking forward to seeing how it grows here.
hi cem9165, yeah the winters can be very long, but most days are sunny, when
it's really cold we have 'sun-dogs' small rainbows around the sun, and at night there are sometimes beautiful northern lights, dancing colors of green and pink can be seen.
i have changed my landscaping to look interesting in the winter. tall grasses, and shrubs
with nice colored bark. and after a snow everything looks so fresh.
the air is crisp and clean and the frost goes deep into the ground, plants usually don't heave. we have birds come to the feeders, black capped chicadees and nuthatches. and
the bunnys stay brown, but the big jackrabbits turn pure white. we see snowy owls,
and just last week a great horned owl was in front of the house. my little schnauzer heard
the who who and started barking !! peonies come up from the ground quickly, i plant them
in fairly sheltered places so late frosts don't harm them. i think the plants all like the slumber
everything comes up and blooms with gusto !! thanks for the reply !!
Hey lindypuddin, Stony Mountain sounds like an exciting place to live. Being able to view the Northern Lights and seeing sun-dogs must be amazing. We just have boring old sunshine and blue skies here, and rarely any rainbows. The birds have been active all winter since we provided seed and fresh water regularly. I've slowed down on feeding for now as they're enjoying the holly berries. I've been broadcasting seeds on the ground for poppies, and I'm hoping they don't become a part of the bird feast.
Today, I was doing my garden rounds and found that what I thought was a pip on Early Glow is actually a bud. This must be the shortest peony known to mankind with a bud on such a small plant. I was thrilled when I found a bud on SN this past week. Maybe the name should be changed to Early Bud, LOL ;~))))) I hope that neither bud blasts.
Cem, how exciting. I have more pips than ever but no buds, so they are just teasing me. But I'm ready for them!
Hey Donna, I'm hoping these plants haven't budded up too early, we've been known to have frosts well into May and one year we had a really bad ice storm at the end of March. If that happens it will be every bud for themselves, LOL. What's crazy is that it's the newly planted peonies that are doing this. My most of my oldies are pips, and for what ever reason the most recently planted peonies are the ones that are growing the fastest. They must love those new beds. I wish I had known about DG when I first started buying and planting peonies. All the peonies received a dose of composted manure in the early fall, and I'm going to put down more this week, while I'm on vacation/staycation.
I forgot to add, I found these in Walmart today, and thought I'd give them a try. It's for a good cause, Race for the Cure and only $5.38 per package with two roots in each.
thats a great deal !!! i was in walmart on the week-end and saw only sarah bernhardt....
i did pick up another bag of LA hybrid lilys....15 for 9.98 a screamin' good deal
but a trip to costco......and BINGO....peonies 2 lady liberty and 1 celebrity for 14.98 !!
they're in the bar fridge as we speak.......sorry dear for the warm beer !!!!!
Too funny, beer does taste better at room temperature???? LOL. I found Festiva Maxima at our local nursery, and it was small but had more than the 2-3 eyes listed on the box. I also found Do Tell potted, with multiple stem and I'm excited about this one, it's one I've wanted but hadn't ordered yet. I'll post pics of those tomorrow. Today in the garden I found more of my fall planted peonies and one of my noids with buds. Here's Salmon Dream, Paula Fay, Merry Mayshine, and my noid on which I counted 9 buds. It's going to be a great spring ;~0
My P. corsica has emerged. Do not believe it with bloom by March 15 this year as it has in the past years. Several of my tree peonies, mostly unnamed rock's have broken dormancy.
ah, please tell us more about your P. corsica. It's a variety I haven't heard of before.
Today I planted Do Tell, Blush Nymph, Vivid, and Festiva Maxima. The rain is on the way, so they should get a good soaking tonight and tomorrow.
Donna - don't forget to include California in the race LoL
Tree peonies are budding now.
How could I forget?!!!
Bring 'em on!
My answer to all challengers in the race "bring it on" ladies and gentlemen!!!! Just kidding ;~) To continue here is the potted Do Tell that I planted yesterday. Also I found Blaze with buds today. Does anyone else have emerging plants with buds?
Edited to say buds, not blooms.
This message was edited Mar 10, 2012 11:09 AM
Here are the roots of Festiva Maxima, I'm glad to be able to replace this one, I left the last at my previous home, the roots of Blush Nymph, and Vivid, all of which were planted yesterday. Everything got a good dousing of rain last night, and the weather will be cool at night to give them a chance to settle in. The eyes were much smaller than on the roots I planted in the fall from Hollingsworth, so I'll baby these until they mature enough to bloom. Annette
I had to leave the roots of my Festiva Maxima too. It was my first peony, and enormous. So I installed a new one too.
It is so hard to leave plants behind when you move. I can only hope that the new home owner who inherits them will appreciate them.
donna, same thing happened when we moved in 08. this time if i move i'm taking my
favorites with me. here's some pics from last year cheers L
ohhhh woooowwww
