For Chantell

Here's some of the peonies and iris and some other things.

A white one

Now you want a fragrant plant, not much beats the scent of peonies. Here's a dark pink one.

I love the delicate pink on this one.

Knautia. Isn't it pretty?

The row of peonies next to the garage.

These single ones are called Bowl of Beauty.

How about some iris?

Suspicion

It's hard to capture the color on this orange one.

I wish I could give you the names on all these. Darned neighborhood dogs knocked my labels all around.

Part of the iris bed

This is the Helena's Blush euphorbia I found at Webers the other day.

I got this euphorbia at Kims Greenhouse last year. It isn't even planted - just in the pot in the ground. It's up to about my chest.

Wow!

Holy Moly.....LOVE all the colors and can only imagine the scent!! That Helena's Blush is the one I picked up 1/2 price at Meadows back in late March, I think!!!

I've always been crazy about peonies. I love the big, fat blooms and the scent especially. My favorites are the real dark red ones and the yellow tree peonies. I have one red one, which hasn't bloomed yet, and now I have one yellow one. I started that iris bed two years ago. It's really pretty this year.

Hart, Droooooooooooling! Love Suspicion & the orange Iris. That dark pink peony is gorgeous.

My absolute favorite of the peonies is the dark red one that hasn't started blooming yet. I like all of them, actually. LOL

The iris have been really pretty this year. I planted them all around the old well pump out front so I can enjoy them from my office window and they look nice for anyone driving by. I have a few other things planted in there too.

My 'Karl Rosenfeld' red peonies have opened up! They smell lovely, although not strong enough fragrance to waft across the yard the way the white ones do. I think I might have buds on some white & 'Sarah Bernhart' (pink) ones this year, also, but right now the red ones are putting on a show! They're not red-red, more of a deep berry or magenta color, but too dark to call "pink."

The irises are on parade across the back of the garden. :-)

Beautiful photos and gorgeous Peonies hart! We don't have many Iris in the gardens but I'm looking at them more and more as I make plans for the new garden I'm hoping to work on this summer. First time in a long time I'm going to be planting a "sunny" garden. I'm going to strive for more of a 'cottage garden' and think that Irises need to find a place there :)

You're going to love Helena's Blush - it's my favorite :) Looked back through the ton of pictures I took this weekend and for some reason can't find the two I wanted to post - one of HB and the other of the Euphorbia you picked up from Kim's! I bought that one a couple of years ago - Euphorbia lathyris http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/55261/ - liked it so much I went back to the vendor the next year to get more. He wasn't selling it that year but said, believe me if you'd had it once you'll have enough to last a lifetime! Sure enough I found a few babies popping up in the gardens late last summer and transplanted them where I wanted them to live and spread some more. Already finding more new babies this spring :) I love the foliage, unique flowers and its tall erect habit - will try to get photos soon to share.

I did grab a few shots of the Peonies this weekend. Almost all of them were blooming right on cue for the Open House :) My 'Bowl of Beauty' is still surviving although they're weaker than in years before because the trees around them are shading them too much. This one found a way to the light and popped through the foliage of the Japanese Maple out front!

These are some I bought from Song Sparrow about 3 years ago - 'Midnight Sun'. The plan was to plant them and then dig up early in the spring for our sales - hasn't happened yet but I love seeing them bloom along the garden's edge regardless! We were looking for one that looked like the one we have in the gardens from Rick's grandmother. That one originally lived in Chicago, traveled to Rick's mother's gardens in CT, then moved to VA with them and when they moved 10 years ago we dug it up and planted it in our gardens so it's ancient! Midnight Sun is a close match :)

I actually bought three different types from Song Sparrow, this is the white one - 'Dairy Ann' - which I actually got planted in the gardens.

And a close up - they aren't as tall as some of the other Peonies but that was why we chose them, shorter habit with sturdy stems and won't flop!

Great pictures everyone! RCN that old red from Rick's GM is wonderful, I like th"Dairy Ann" too. I remember my GM hauling buckets of peonies to the cemetary on Memorial Day to do fresh arrangments on family plots. If we had a cool damp spring she would fret that they would be late. Ric

Very beautiful Peonies RCN.

Thanks Ric and Stormy :) This is why we were looking for Peonies that wouldn't "flop"! Another of Rick's grandmother's Peonies in the garden - lovely when they first open but they soon hang their heads and this was before the rain :(

RCN, I've succumed and am using peony hoops this year. Peonies grown in shade need a little extra help.

I don't know the name of it, but there's a dark maroon peony that I just love. I've been trying to find it for years, in fact two of the pink peonies I bought were supposed to be it but were different varieties. It's very double and the color is so dark and rich.

When we were in Woodstock the other day, I saw the Farm Bureau had a beautiful one next to their building and it was just covered in blooms. I have a good idea where they must have gotten it because all the businesses in town tend to use one nursery there. I'm going to call and see if they have any this year.

Debbie, if you decide to get some irises, I highly recommend Wild Iris Rows. He sends huge plants, big enough to plant at least two per plant, and his prices are very reasonable.
http://wildirisrows.com/

That red peony is really pretty. I don't worry too much about the flopping. Just shake off the blooms after it rains and they'll pop back up.

hart, thanks for the link - his prices are VERY reasonable! A few of those I liked immediately are already sold out but I'm sure I can find something :)

Chantell and anyone else, DGer WNYwillieB has written to me looking for a swap. Willie has a greenhouse and grows an amazing variety of plants from seed including many tropicals. I've seen many of his lovely exotics on the NE forum. He is open to all trades so check out his trade list.

Wait until you see the big honking rhizomes he sends. He includes a free bonus too. He was very good about finding a good replacement for the orange one I had ordered. It was in stock but he didn't think they looked good enough to send, which I thought was nice.

While I'm in here, here's some more peonies.

Not really capturing the color of these dark ones. They're darker and redder than what is showing in the photos.

Hart, That really does look like Karl Rosenfeld. Lovely!

Oh Stormy - THAT'S just dangerous...going to "peek" now b/c I'm sure I "need" more...LOL

How funny - I WANT one for Chloe now: http://davesgarden.com/guides/articles/view/2489/

Chantell, she would love that. That path looks like RCN's path to the frog house. I love it!

Chantell, Do not try this at home LOL

http://comics.com/herman/

Was in today paper.

Edit to say : If you are viewing this link later the comic changes every day, just change the date to June 3rd 09 and hit search to view the comic I was refering to.

This message was edited Jun 5, 2009 8:51 AM

ROFL!

Ok....THAT was hysterical and if you only knew the stories I could share when I have heavy into Cacti...to include multiple stories about the "teddy bear" cholla - with its hooked spines....yeowch!
Patient was reading one of the "coffee table" books I keep out in our lobby and busted out laughing...quote she was reading? "I have a philosophy about dieting - why punish my legs for something my lips have done?" I love it!!