2019 APS Best in Show Peony 'Noma Volz' Awarded to First Time Grand Champion Winner, Mike Miller

Mike Miller with his First Ever Grand Champion
Peony 'Norma Volz'
It was an exciting day on the show table all around with many entrants on the Court of Honor this year that may not have been the usual suspects. The same was true for the winner of the whole show - both the flower and the entrant. Mike Miller of Great Seal Peonies won the top honor for the first time ever at the 2019 APS Flower Exhibition this year. Peony 'Norma Volz' was the flower that won him the honor, eliciting three ribbons - a 1st place Blue Ribbon, a Court of Honor Rosette (light blue) and the Grand Champion Rosette (purple). You can tell by the look on his face how thrilled he was, and I couldn't have been more happy for him. It really is nice to see new winners on the Court of Honor and for the Grand Champion of the show. Peony 'Norma Volz' was also a first time Grand Champion, as this peony variety had never before won the show's top honors - until now! Congratulations to Mike with his prize winning show flower, Peony 'Norma Volz'!


Peony 'Norma Volz'
2019 APS Best in Show / Grand Champion

2019 APS Treasurer and First Time Entrant Wins 2 Court of Honor Ribbons & Best Novice Specimen Rosette in the American Peony Society Flower Exhibition

Kris Wins Novice Best Specimen on the APS Court of Honor
Peony 'Age of Victoria'
As I examined the final selections on the American Peony Society Court of Honor this year, my heart leapt with excitement as I found that Kris had won a spot in the top honor of the entire flower show! I practically ran to find her and bring her back to the table at the front of the show. I think I might have been more excited than she was! Her Peony 'Age of Victoria' won a blue 1st place ribbon for its class, the Best Pink Hybrid Court of Honor rosette and the Novice Best Specimen rosette!!! 3 Ribbons! Wow!!! I think she was surprised that she had placed a flower in the Court of Honor - the best of the best flowers in the whole show! Little did she know another surprise awaited her...


Kris Wins 2 APS Court of Honor Ribbons
Tom & Kris with Peony 'Coral Scout'
As Kris was chatting with friends and fellow APS members about placing a flower on the Court of Honor, I decided to go over the rest of the table to see who else placed a flower there. I was surprised and excited to find another flower with her name on it, Peony 'Coral Scout', which won a blue 1st place ribbon in its class and the Best Coral Hybrid Court of Honor rosette. So not only had she placed a flower on the Court of Honor on her very first show, she had placed 2 flowers on the Court of Honor on her very first show! What an achievement!!! I could tell her husband, Tom, was very proud of her, and so were her entourage and fellow APS members - Deb and I!


Kris with Her Entourage
Adriana, Kris, & Deb

2019 Pay It Forward, Helping a Peony Exhibition Newbie at the APS Convention

Me, Deb, & Kris
This photo really captures the heart of the convention for me this year. I feel so proud to have spent so much time with the two ladies in this photo, working alongside them, getting to know them better, and teaming up to help Kris enter her first ever peonies into the 2019 American Peony Society Convention Exhibition. Kris has tirelessly served as the APS Treasurer for years, but had yet to enter any of her own peonies into the APS flower show. Since her garden was on tour this year, and she was a convention co-chair (she was just a tad busy), she hadn't thought much about entering any flowers into the show.

Kris Trimming a Peony	Kris in Her Garden

So that's where we came in. With just a little coaxing from Deb and myself, Kris agreed to enter some peonies into the exhibition. As long as we were a team, and she had a bit of guidance from someone who'd entered before (me), she was ready. I couldn't help but think of all the help that Mike & Becky Koster gave me at my first peony show. Without their help, I don't think I would have made it! They were the ones who guided me on how to get those tight peony buds to open - steam baths and field trips outside in the sun, 2015 American Peony Society Exhibition Preparation. I will be forever grateful to them for their help, dedication, and encouragement to me. So in some small way I was able to pay it forward to help Kris enter her first peony show. Somehow the joy you get from helping others succeed can touch you more deeply than your own success.


Kris Taking a Photo of a Peony Before She Cuts It
Kris was a hoot in the garden. At first she didn't want to cut any of the peony flowers. (I think she secretly really liked them better on the bush.) ;-) Eventually we were able to convince her to start cutting some. She did take a photo of each one and apologize to them before she cut them. I think this really illustrates her kind-heartedness. :-) By the time we had finished cutting peonies for the show, she had really gotten the hang of it, and wanted to cut even more. I think we trained her well, and she will be ready for next year's peony exhibitions. We ended up with quite a nice haul, and surely some ribbon-worthy peony blooms.


Kris Checking Out Potential Peonies

Show Flowers for the Peony Exhibition

2019 American Peony Society Convention Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden Tour

It was a rainy day for the public garden tour of the Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden. I guess it was better to have the hot sunny day for the personal garden tours than the rain. Save the rain for the public garden tour since you could in theory always visit it again later. There were a few APS members with umbrellas for the sun the day before, but many more members with umbrellas on this rainy day, plus ponchos and waterproof jackets to keep the rain at bay. The rain was steady, but at least it wasn't a downpour. Luckily, it was more of a light rain.


Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden Entrance

Tree Peony 'Phoenix White' (Paeonia ostii)
Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden
We were able to find a few peonies in bloom at the Greater Des Moines Botanical garden. We found a nice size specimen of Tree Peony 'Phoenix White' (Paeonii ostii). However it was quite drenched, and someone even nicknamed it the "soggy princess". The delicate white petals of this tree peony were definitely soaked and slumped. Since spring was behind there in Iowa, only a few early blooming varieties were open. We did also find a nice little plant of Peony 'Pink Tea Cup' which seemed to be standing up to the rain quite well. The bright pink petals called to you from across the garden even in the rain.


Peony 'Pink Tea Cup'
Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden

Bonsai Garden
Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden
There was also a fancy bonsai garden flanking the entrance to their conservatory. I had a nice time checking out those miniature trees. The oldest specimen in their collection was a Ginkgo biloba tree that was over 150 years old! That is quite an amazing feat. I've always wanted to grow a bonsai tree, but I don't think I have the daily dedication to do it since I've killed a few already. Maybe I just need a Ginkgo biloba! Ha ha! The conservatory of the Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden was a very nice surprise and a welcomed respite from the rain drops outside.


Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden Conservatory

Succulents in the Conservatory
Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden
Inside the conservatory were various colorful succulents, blooming tropicals, and nice size specimens of several varieties of palms. It was fun to explore, with some pop of color or exotic bloom right around the next corner. There was also a 2nd level around the edge of one side of the conservatory, which gave a nice view of the plant menagerie below. This garden also had a lovely gift shop, where I was able to purchase a couple of treasures for my children. There was also a pretty cool living plant wall at the front entrance/exit filled with a variety of tropical houseplants. Sitting next to it just made me feel alive (must have been all that extra oxygen! LOL


Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden Conservatory

APS Members & Living Plant Wall
Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden

2019 American Peony Society Convention Garden Tours

I couldn't believe the change in temperatures from one day to the next. It was forecasted to be 88 degrees the day of the home garden tours in Iowa, but I'm pretty sure it made it to 90 degrees (or at least felt like it!). However we really need the warm temperatures to get the peonies and other flowers to open. Most of the gardens we toured had lots of "green" since the spring season was about a month behind. There were a few very early herbaceous peonies open and a couple tree peonies open, but most of the peonies in the gardens were in bud.


Cornbred Barbeque Lunch at Prairie Moon Winery

Prairie Moon Winery Lunch
The barbeque lunch we had at the local Prairie Moon Winery was very tasty. It was catered in from a food truck company that was opening their own restaurant there in Iowa called Cornbred Barbeque. There were ribs, pulled pork barbeque, macaroni and cheese, cucumber and tomato salad, jalapeño cornbread, and your choice of beverage from the winery bar. I thought the coolest things were the wooden forks and the plates made from fallen palm leaves! How creative and eco-friendly!


Girton House & Garden

Peony 'Nosegay' and Red Fernleaf Peony in Girton Garden
There were plenty of snacks at every garden. The homemade pies and cakes at the Girton garden were very delicious. I had to try the carrot cake since it didn't have raisins in it (just how I like it), and it was very delish! Everyone was vying for the shady spots since the Girton garden was mostly a full sun garden, and we were all melting. However they did have a nice assortment of teas and lemonades with ice to try to keep us cool! My favorite peony in bloom here was the double lavender P. Rockii, which reminded me of the lavender P. Rockii seedling in my own garden.


Shady Spot in the Girton Garden

Lavender P. Rockii at Girton Garden
The sun continued to be relentless even at the Jurik garden, but thankfully there was much more shade with many mature trees surrounding the house shading an extensive hosta collection. The fruit cups garnished with mint were a hit, as were the assortment of homemade cookies! People were able to find a few early blooming peonies open here too, as well as a few tree peonies. The APS ALM Committee was able to use the Jurik garden as a great training ground for their new judges during the 2019 American Peony Society Convention ALM Judges Training as well! All in all it was a great day! :-)


Tom & Kris Jurik House & Garden

Jurik Garden Extensive Hosta Collection

2019 American Peony Society Convention in Ames, Iowa

2019 APS Convention Welcome Dinner
Gateway Hotel Waterfall Garden Patio
I couldn't believe how lovely the setting was the for 2019 American Peony Society Convention Welcome Dinner was. We had a beautiful outdoor patio filled with large tables, fine table settings with white and pale pink linens, pink cushioned chairs, and of course peonies on every table. The eating space was embellished with twin waterfalls (which I sat right next to!) surrounded by rock gardens that the children enjoyed playing on. We actually had 2 small ones at our APS Welcome Dinner this year, grandchildren of the APS Convention Co-Chairs.


2019 APS Convention Welcome Dinner
Treasurer & Convention Co-Chair, Kris
and Membership Chair, Linette

2019 APS Convention Welcome Dinner
Tim, Kent, Jody, & Kris
The weather was perfect for the outdoor meal, with nice spring temperatures, and blue skies. There was even a backdrop of pink blooming trees. We dined on deli sandwiches from the outdoor buffet. There was chicken salad, beef, or vegan wraps with chips and brownies for dessert. All of the food was delicious and the setting - gorgeous. All in all it was a great start to the annual APS festivities. I think everyone enjoyed chatting with their fellow APS members, friends old and new, with an air of excitement for the peony convention to come.


2019 APS Convention Welcome Dinner
Outdoor Deli Buffet

2019 APS Convention Welcome Dinner
Gateway Hotel Waterfall Garden Patio

2019 American Peony Society Convention ALM Judges Training

The 2019 American Peony Society Convention included an ALM (Award of Landscape Merit) Judges Training for any and all interested APS Members. An APS ALM judge should be a member that is active in the club, has a large and growing collection of peony cultivars, and has a thirst to help identify the very best peonies for the landscape. The training for APS judges kicked off the 2019 APS Convention on Wednesday afternoon with a 2 hour lecture/informational seminar to help familiarize potential judges with the goals of the American Peony Society Award of Landscape Merit program. We also learned the rating sections and criteria for awarding and deducting points when judging a cultivar.


2019 APS ALM Judges Training
The second half of the ALM Judges Training consisted of a field training in the garden of Kris Jurik. The judging exercise is intended to allow future ALM Judges to get hands on experience and guidance judging a cultivar, with the opportunity to ask questions and discuss potential point scoring. Once the group completes the guided garden judging of a peony plant, they are all asked to silently judge another peony plant in the garden on their own. The expert ALM Judges collect and review the scorecards for judging calibration. It was a hot day in the garden, but the new ALM Judges persisted through an almost 90 degree day to get firsthand experience, gain knowledge, and become proficient in judging peonies for the landscape.

2019 American Peony Society Gold Medal Winner Tree Peony 'Angel Emily'

Tree Peony 'Angel Emily'
2019 APS Gold Medal Winner
I could not have picked a better APS Gold Medal Winner than this year's 2019 American Peony Society Gold Medal Winner - Tree Peony 'Angel Emily'. This peony was hybridized by Bill Seidl and registered by Bill Seidl and Nate Bremer in 2013. I'm wondering if this is the quickest awarded Gold Medal (in terms of registration date vs. award date). This one made it to APS Gold Medal status in just 6 years! When I first saw this peony (and discovered Solaris Farms in 2013) this tree peony was already sold out, but I just knew I had to have it (lavender being my favorite color and this thing being absolutely loaded with blooms on the web site photo). So I waited patiently for the next catalog and was able to order this one right away in 2014.


Tree Peony 'Angel Emily'
2019 APS Gold Medal Winner
Ever since this Tree Peony 'Angel Emily' has graced my garden, it has been the best growing tree peony I have ever grown (and I've tried quite a few) and been named a Southern Peony Best Performer, 2018 Tree Peony 'Angel Emily' Best Performer - Week 3. I had the pleasure of meeting Bill Seidl during the 2016 APS Convention, 2016 Peony 'Dreamtime' Pollen from Bill Seidl's Garden. He died that same year. I only wish he'd lived long enough to see one of his beauties earn the Gold Medal. Tree Peony 'Angel Emily' has never failed to disappoint me, and it quite reliable and gorgeous every year. I hope you are able to snag one for yourself (if you don't already grow one)!

2018 American Peony Society Convention Auction

Kop Tretheway's "Everything Peony Collection" Part 3
There were 113 items in the American Peony Society 2018 Annual Auction this year. The item with the highest bid of $240 went to a first edition copy of "The Book of the Peony" by Mrs. Edward (Alice) Harding. I would love to have a copy of this book, and a first edition would be even better, but $240 was a little too high for me. I hope the winning bidder enjoys the book! The lowest price item in the auction was $10 for 2 peony tea towels and some peony fabric. However there were also several peony roots that went for $15 and $20 as well (with shipping included) - which was quite the steal! If you have not yet been to an APS Convention, you are really missing out!


Michel Design Works Glass Peony Tray
Kop Tretheway's "Everything Peony Collection" Part 3
I won three items in the auction this year. Peony 'Allan Rogers' is the first item, which is a white double peony, grown from a seedling from Bill Seidl, but I see now that it is a short plant. Since short plants don't usually grow very well for me, I'm not sure how it is going to do here. So we'll see about that one. The second item is Peony 'KC Red', a rare find that is also a new registration for 2018, a red tree double peony registered by Seidl/Bremer. This tree peony is supposedly very beautiful and very fertile, so hopefully a good plant for breeding. The third item (and my favorite) is a set of peony bath items donated by Kent Tretheway. These items belonged to his late wife, Kop Tretheway - what a nice way to honor her memory. The lot I won was entitled, Kop Tretheway's "Everything Peony Collection" Part 3. It included a Michel Design Works glass peony tray/soap dish, Michel Design Works peony hand creams, and Michel Design Works peony coasters. There was also a bar of Castelbel peony soap. As you can see I am already putting the glass tray to good use - as a jewelry tray, and I love it!

2018 American Peony Society Convention Banquet

2018 APS Banquet Coffee & Dessert
Lemon Blueberry Bars
The best thing about the American Peony Society Banquet this year? Dessert! We had scrumptious bars of lemon, blueberry (and maybe cream cheese?) for dessert this year, and they were delicious! I (unfortunately) had to help myself to two of them! Yum! Dinner was tasty as well with salmon, beef, green leaf salad, fingerling potatoes, rice with onions, and baby broccoli. It seemed everyone enjoyed the meal (and dessert) while we listened in on the annual APS Member Meeting. Our outgoing President, Scott Parker, conducted the meeting. Several new APS Directors were nominated and elected. The results of the APS Flower Exhibtion were announced, and all of the rosette ribbons were presented to each recipient in person.
2018 APS Banquet Buffet

Adelman Peony Gardens
Wins 2018 APS Sweepstakes Award
Jim and Carol Adelman of Adelman Peony Gardens won the 2018 APS Sweepstakes Award this year, which is awarded to the entrant with the most blue ribbons in the entire show. They won 29 blue 1st Place Ribbons. They also earned rosettes for Reserve Champion (blue/light blue ribbon) for Peony 'Old Faithful', Allan Rogers Memorial Award (red/white ribbon), Best Intersectional Award (yellow/white ribbon), and the Ben Gowen Memorial Award (green/light green ribbon). I'd love to see their award wall after they've finished framing all of their ribbons! Therese Sprauer of Brooks Gardens won the Grand Champion rosette ribbon for 2018 Peony 'Lavon' APS 2018 Best in Show.

APS Rosette Ribbons More than a Handful!	Jim & Carol Adelman Look Very Happy!

Scott Parker, APS President, Looks on as Carol Adelman
Presents Linette Sorrentino
with the Bertrand H. Farr Lifetime Achievement Award
Another great personal award was presented during the APS Banquet to Linette Sorrentino for her "years of unmatched and exemplary" service to the APS especially in the areas of "floral exhibitions, fund raising, educational programs and workshops, ... mentorship of new members, and her promotion of Paeonia". Linette seemed very surprised and emotionally touched when her award was announced, even sharing a hug with the presenter, Carol Adelman. What a sweet moment!
Carol and Linette Share a Hug

Carol Reads the Inscription
of the Lifetime Achievement Award

2018 First Time Entrant, Mike Miller, Sweeps APS Peony Floral Arrangement Competition

Mike Miller of Great Seal Peony Farm
Wins APS Artistic Design Reserve Champion
Much to my (and everyone else's) surprise, a first time exhibitor in the Artistic Design section won all 3 Artistic Design Rosette ribbons awarded in the American Peony Society 2018 Flower Exhibition. That winner is Mike Miller of Great Seal Peony Farm in Ohio. He's no rookie to the APS Flower Exhibition, but this is his first foray into the design competition. I took the opportunity to speak with him about his artistic floral design winnings.


Mike Miller of Great Seal Peony Farm
Wins APS Artistic Design Novice Design Award

Mike Miller of Great Seal Peony Farm
Wins APS Artistic Design Grand Champion
How did it feel to win all 3 APS rosette ribbons in the Artistic Design peony floral arrangement categories (Grand Champion, Reserve Champion, and Best Novice Design)?

"Finding out that I had won all of the top 3 design awards was exciting and embarrassing at the same time. I was happy to win but also embarrassed that I took the awards away from others that had been competing for several years."

Were you surprised to find out that you won?

"I was very surprised when I first learned of receiving the top honors."

How does it encourage you in your peony growing and exhibitions?

"I am encouraged to try entering again in future conventions. This was my first year to enter the design classes. In a normal year I am too busy entering peonies in the commercial division classes and have never had enough time to do any designing. I was not able to take peonies this year to enter and therefore allowed me the time to enter the design classes. I am looking forward to a balance in future shows of entering peonies in their classes and doing more of the design classes."


APS Artistic Design Reserve Champion
"Tilikum Crossing"
Mike is so humble and so deserving. It really speaks to his creativity and attention to detail with the materials he used and the planning he put into creating on-point designs for each of the categories he entered. Mike told me that he visited a local thrift store after arriving in Oregon to find the containers and design elements for each of his arrangements. With the design categories in mind, he carefully selected pieces and accents that would fit each theme. Each year the APS creates categories with themes from the Exhibtion's locale. This year was no different, with each category reflecting features of Portland, Oregon.

Mike's "Tilikum Crossing" entry is anchored by two metal vases of varying height, mirroring Portland's Tilikum Crossing bridge's two towers. It also incorporates woody materials at the top of the arrangement emulating the bridge's cables and a ribbon connecting the two towers to form the "bridge". His "Tilikum Crossing" entry won First Place in its category, and it won the APS Artistic Design Reserve Champion rosette ribbon (the 2nd highest design award in the show).


APS Artistic Design Novice Design Award
"Union Station"
Mike's "Union Station" entry (my favorite) was anchored by a clock vase, just as Portland's Union Station is anchored by a towering clock tower, perfect! The use of color in this design is what really draws me to this entry, and of course all of the intersectional peonies don't hurt either! His "Union Station" entry won First Place in its category, and it won the APS Artistic Design Novice Design Award rosette ribbon.

Mike's "Pittock Mansion" entry was by far the largest and grandest entry on the show table - the scale and grandeur of the design definitely befitting a mansion. Even the vase was perfect - the intricrate, gilded design of the large vase belonged in the grand home of a wealthy industrialist investor. His "Pittock Mansion" entry won First Place in its category, and it won the APS Artistic Design Grand Champion rosette ribbon (the highest design award in the show). Congratulations, Mike!


APS Artistic Design Grand Champion
"Pittock Mansion"