Peony

Peonies may be the showiest, longest lived and hardiest of all perennials.   I have a peony plant in my yard, that I discovered last year, hidden in an overgrown honeysuckle bush.  A neighbour told me that it was likely part of an original peony “hedge” that was planted by the family that built this home.  That makes it sixty-three years old!

I transplanted it two years ago to a healthier part of the garden, though it was weak and spindly looking.   Amazingly this summer, it has tripled in size and has buds about to burst into blooms.  It isn’t photogenic just yet, so I am sharing photos that my sister took of her picture-perfect peonies, which have exploded into flower this week.

They are predominantly Double or Chinese peonies, with massive flower heads that resemble huge roses and smell as sweet.  Each flower sits atop a long stem, above deep green, glossy leaves that remain attractive all season.

There are hundreds of excellent peony varieties, so please, try some.  I’m certain you’ll be thrilled with the exuberant flowers and the vibrant show!

These photos are not mine;  they are my sister's photos, peonies from her  garden.