Friday, June 22, 2012

Flower Power Friday....Beautiful Peonies

It has been a very very busy week.  I have been hard at work preparing for the Saco Sidewalk Art Festival this Saturday 9am-4pm.  The weather is looking a little questionable with rain.  Last year was my first year there and when I arrived it was pouring down rain and was cloudy and light shower most of the day.  This year we have had a heat wave with the so call 3 HHH's (hazy,hot and humid).  A cold front is approaching ever so slowly and my be around through Saturday which means possible thunderstorms.  BUMMER!  You know for the most part I accept what ever weather comes by way when I do these festivals.  It is just part of the job.  But you know it wouldn't hurt to have some nice weather for my first show of the season.  You know what I mean!  Saco is celebrating 250th Anniversary so I hope the people will come rain or shine.


The Peony is absolutely my most favorite flower I have ever grown!  The Peonies here are single bloom, but they come in a gorgeous double blooms and many other types of blooms too.  Some are very fragrant too!  Colors are mostly pinks and whites.  Some rich dark pinks almost burgundy color.   There are yellows and coral colors which are beautiful and expensive to have.

These flowers are in a shrub form and are great alone or as a border.  They bloom in the late Spring.  Transplanting them should be done in the fall.  They do very well in cool climates.  So they may not do so well in the South unless shaded.  They do prefer full sun.  Very hardy and deer resistant!  Once the flowers have bloomed they should be deadheaded.  The Peony shrub will stay green all season.  In the fall they should be cut back to make way for the new growth in the Spring.
Just a note...in the Spring before the Peonies get too big you should get a peony hoop support for them.  The flowers makes the shrub very top heavy and the peony hoop support will keep them off the ground.  You can get these supports at almost any garden center.
Here is a link where you can get alot more information and where to buy some of these beauties.  www.songsparrow.com They also have a great selection of hostas and daylilies.


Have a wonderful weekend everyone!

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