On a different site.. this is what someone posted on the Blue Lagoon at Walmart...
I tried going higher up the chain of command. After calling back several days I was finally able to connect to Peter (Langevelt -sp?) who might (if I understand correctly) actually be the owner of Garden State Bulb. Here is his discussion...
...Blue Lagoon is a marketing name for an unregistered herbaceous peony out of china. His Chinese suppliers re-assure him that it is a blue peony though he (Peter) has not seen it bloom. Peter is planting a patch of Blue Lagoon peony in his test gardens this year (2005). He did say that blooms will shift in colors based on different growing conditions, soil types, etc etc (the industry catch-all answer for variations in color.) He also stated that he could not divulge the name of Chinese supplier when I asked.
Thought it would be interesting reading.
Blue Lagoon Peony at Walmart...
Do you have one of these? Sounds like it could be interesting. I like peonies but only have one.
I also picked up a blue peony from my walmart in lafayette. I'm anxious to see what it does and will post a picture, if it blooms this year (which I doubt).
deb
Yes, I bought a bag of 2 from Walmart. They look like the peony flowering tulips on the bag. It will be interesting what they bloom out to be.
kathy, it will be interesting if this is true. i have it planted. i know it sold out really fast at our walmart and the 5 walmart in near by towns. belinda
Oops, got that one mixed up with the other ones *I* bought from Walmart. I was actually lucky to have daylily grab me one from her Walmart, for ours did not have them. They did finally show up at our Walmart, but I was so anxious to get ONE IN MY HANDS. LOL Please keep me posted on your daylily, I'm so anxious to see a picture of this peony!!!!!!!!!!!
Here is some information I was given on Blue Lagoon:
They raised a field of these trying to understand the genetics that produce the "BLUE" color in plant flowers. There is a lot to this story, but the main thing is that these were never intended to be placed on the market as they were part of a research project in search of the mystery to develop a "BLUE ROSE". The short story is that they went into forced bankrupcy and a major company got ahold of the field and marketed these, but the research company developed the "BlUE CARNATION" and emerged out of bankrupcy. They lost the research plants in the field, but were able to retain the plant patents due to the carnation development so no one else can grow them and they do not intend to grow any for sale in the market place, only for their reasearch project in search of the "BLUE ROSE" development.
Very interesting! thank you for telling us that.
If anyone else finds some blue lagoon, I want some! PLEASE!
I have lots of other peonies to trade, plus other plants.
I'll gladly pay and send plants for someone to pick some of these up for me?
We didn't have anything that neat at our walmart...
-T
very interesting Missifolia. Thanks for posting this info.
I did a google image search on blue carnation and got this news story that gives the names of some of the companies involved in all this. It doesn't mention the peonies, but we already know that it's Garden State Bulb Co. that is marketing the Blue Lagoon through Walmart.
Here's the link for the news story:
http://edition.cnn.com/2003/BUSINESS/12/03/blue.carnations/
I still think that the flower on the package for the Blue Lagoon Peony looks just like this "peony-flowering tulip" called Lilac Perfection. What do you think?
http://brecks.com/product.asp?pn=67427
I hope everybody who has got the Blue Lagoon will post pics when they bloom! a good mystery tale in the making...
Hi everyone -
Paani you're right...they do look alike. Can you tell by looking at the photo I posted if the leaves are different than that of the tulips...I'm too new to peony gardening to tell.
I received a couple of these that I ordered from a seller on Ebay, but I doubt that I'll see blooms this year. I'll post some photos when they get a little further along so all of the peony gurus on DG can take a look at them.
Missi
A big ol 'hearty' welcome to DG, to ya .. Missifolia !!
Will certainly be lookin' forward to hearing (and seeing) more .. about the propurted 'Blue' Peony - from anyone!!
It's quite a purtee bloom, for sure!
- Magpye
Well, thank ya Magpye. I really like it here at DG!
Missi
Thank you for the lovely photos of the peonies. I really liked the High Noon, the beautiful pink one you posted Sally and the blue ones. Never knew peonies could be so pretty! I've never really thought much about them until this spring. April 6th, I was cleaning up last yrs dead stalks and leaves from around my peonies that were left here for me by previous owner, to make the area ready for all the stalks that were coming up. Think they are white w/pink tinges, not sure. I ended up taking out a huge 3/4" sliver in my rt index finger. Mon, finally went to dr - seems it infected the tendon. On antibiotics and have to return Mon again. Luckily it is getting a little smaller...
Had seen somewhere they had rare yellow tibetian tree peony that was supposed to grow taller, not wide like the others in the other catalogs. Can you fill me in on that? If it does get taller instead of wider, I am thinking I'd like to get 2 to put on both sides of front porch. If I keep looking at these beauties, will prob be getting some more for the back yard too... Only thing that will stop me is the price tags... ~ Suzi :)
I bought a package of these early in the season. I have them potted and hopefully will be able to plant in the ground soon. It might take them a year or so to bloom, but if and when they do, I will post a picture. The package had 2 bulbs in it for $5.00, so we will see what I get!
Deb
I bought a pkg. of them at WM too, and planted them in an (ahem) ice cream bucket and put them on my sunporch.....they've grown and they have 2 buds! I'll definitely try to get a photo when they bloom.....I'm betting they're gonna be pink/red, from the looks of the buds.
Nan, please do post pics of that when they bloom. Thats my favorite thing to plant things in temporarily.. ice cream buckets! :)
Has anyone's Blue Lagoon bloomed yet? I'm dying to see a pic!! My didn't develop buds this year, oh well, maybe next year!
Mine has nice fat buds that are veeerrrrrryyyyyy sllooooowwwwwllllly opening....it's *really* close!!!
The bud color tells me that the bloom will be a deep red....should know in a few days!
A person on another site said hers bloomed a single pink. Mine didn't put on any buds this year.
Hurry up and open blue lagoon! Can't wait to see the pictures! : )
Mine has not put on any buds either.
lol!
1 petal is starting to 'push out'....so it should just be a couple of days.
I'm beginning to think, though, that it should be Burgundy or Red Lagoon, lol!
Hi,
Mine has a bud as well. It's teensy weensy at this time.
The photo on the package definitely has to be doctored. On some of the chinese peony sites, blue peonies are pinks with a bluish undertone or cool pinks. Some of the pictures show somewhat lavender blooms but not purple or blue.
Sheila
I expected more of a lavender color rather than blue. we will see soon!
It sounded so fantastic and promising (and yes perhaps too good to be true) that i searched around and found some listed on e-bay. I think i'll exercise the bit of patience i have and see how yours flowers before shelling out $40.
Has it bloomed yet...
Has it bloomed yet...
:)
No, mine hasn't.
so have they bloomed yet???
Viv
i slowly scrolled down, waiting for PHOTOS. i'd love to see this one!
good luck on your "blue lagoon" peonies!
Mine bloomed yesterday.
I took a photo, but forgot to bring the camera with me today, sorry!
It's a deep red...single....rather small flower....so much for blue or any shade of it!
I'll *try* to remember to bring that durned camera w/me tomorrow.
Nan, you've got the first DGer "Blue Lagoon". congrats. Please, please do give us a pic. when you can.
what do you all say we keep tabs on colors?:
1 deep red
and coming next, to a garden near you ...........?
Walmart (and the importer too) expect each gardener to individually shrug, walled off in their separate gardens, when their plants come up as other-than-advertised. They forgot about the internet!!
of course, if a blue one does shows up, I'll be right in line clamouring for a bit of root!
Woohoo! A first DG 'first' for me, lol!
I shot the photo yesterday as soon as I got home and saw that bud had opened up, left the camera right on the porch table...(so I'd remember it this morning!) then forgot it....so I'll definitely post the photo if my brain remembers to bring the camera tomorrow!
I wouldn't doubt that the second bud has opened today while I've been at work....if so, I'll take a photo of that one, too (from the looks of the color, I'm betting it'll be identical to the first).
Yep, I agree...they probably have no idea that us gardeners are 'conferring' on our Blue Lagoons!
Didn't think it would be purple. :( Oh well, they did the same thing last year with "Lavender Lady". Its ok, their cheap enough to enjoy. They just keep throwing that PURPLE shade at us and we bite, don't we?
Lets see.. .what will be next years offering? Grape Kandy? Purple Passion? Plum Perfect? Luscious Lilac? hahahahaha.
How about Grape Sucker? LOL
Now I'd buy Grape Sucker, I don't know about you! LOL!
nan, I'm sure there must be a fabulous prize, but you'll have to check with Admin. ;-)
Kathy, we'd all buy Grape Sucker wouldn't we?? may as well 'fess up!
but they've done the blue/purple trick a few times now. Bet they move on. How about this for 2006?:
"The first true BLACK* peony, exclusively available at Walmart.
and, in very very *very* tiny print:
*(color may vary from black to white depending on growing conditions)".
Ok...hope this works...here's a photo from the first day they opened...(the two flowers were identical)
And...the color has changed a bit...took this one this morning...the outer edge of the petals has 'lightened' a bit....now they look rather pink, dontcha think?
They aren't quite as pink as the picture....but lighter than the photo above that looks 'red'.
I don't know what to think......but I'm pretty sure they're no shade of blue, lol!
They are nice enough for the price....I didn't have any single ones, and the foliage is much larger than my other peonies, too.
Edited just to point out that the foliage to the right and above is *not* that of the peony....different plant!
This message was edited Jun 2, 2005 4:07 PM
The red one is very nice, just not purple.... errrr, How dare they!!!! maybe someday they will get a purple, or prehaps put the tulip bulb in the peonies package.... But you are right, its a nice flower for the price. happy gardening.
Viv
here's a link to the Blue Lagoon package pic http://davesgarden.com/forums/fp.php?pid=1410377 just so we can compare. (or scroll up to April 18).
not only not blue, but a different bloom form altogether!
I don't think they can put a change from tulip-form double to single down to soil or weather conditions!
it is lovely, nan (the one you actually got).
Question: would you have bought this peony, at the same price, if it had shown a true picture (I mean the bloom you're showing us now).
other Blue Lagoon buyers?
I'm betting a lot of people would have. (I would. Kathy? we 'grape suckers' from MO are in for sure, right ;-) ?)
So why bother with hullaballoo and false advertising?
Of course, we have yet to see whether Nan's Beauty is the "real" Blue Lagoon, or whether there will be a hundred others of all shapes, sizes and color... eagerly awaiting more pics!!
btw, can anybody ID Nan's peony?