If you held a gun to my head and made me pick one flower as my favorite it would undoubtedly but the graceful and magnificent peony. Today I am sharing a nice peony portfolio from my garden.
The first two are traditional herbaceous peonies which means they die back every year. These are the same ones that grew in my grandmother’s yard and maybe where I first feel in love with their beauty and wonderful scent.
The next are two are famous award-winning double blooms named after famous people and known for their fragrance. Dr. Alexander Fleming, the scientist who discovered penicillin, and Sarah Bernhardt, a famous French actress from the 18th century.
One last herbaceous beauty is a single flower and has a very different look. It actually gets quite large putting on a nice show in the garden.
Then there are the tree peonies introduced to me by my good friend Lisa. These beauties do not die back but are more of a shrub. They are deciduous, which means they lose their leaves in the winter. They bloom very early in the season.
Finally we have a Intersectional Hybrid or ITOH. The ITOH is a cross between a tree and a herbaceous peony, giving you the advantage of a lot of flowers lasting longer in the season, on sturdy branches that do not need staking. I love the way this one starts out as a peachy-pink and then turns a buttery yellow.
They make great floral arrangements.
For more about peonies read my article from last year and find out how you can keep their cut flowers for up to a month in your refrigerator.
I love peonies! I think they are very romantic and decorative in the garden. The flower arrangement is so pretty – it makes me think of summer and happy times.
Thanks Charlotte,
I think we are in good company. Looking forward to arranging more peonies this year, though today it seems so far away.
Thanks for stopping by,
Patti