2019 Intersectional Peony Color Combinations

Intersectional Peonies 'Hillary' & 'Canary Brilliants'
I just wanted to share with you a few intersectional peony color combinations I captured during the bloom season this year (and no these are not on the same bush). These shots are on 2 different bushes that are planted next to each other. I don't want to get any of my varieties mixed up. So I always try to mix up the color combinations when planting my intersectional peonies out. Anyway when I saw these combinations in the garden, I just couldn't help but snap a shot of them. Some of them are complementary, some of them are contrasting, but any way you slice it they are all eye catching and gorgeous! I hope you enjoy!


Intersectional Peonies 'Sonoma Apricot' & 'Ballarena de Saval'

Intersectional Peonies 'Hillary' & 'Morning Lilac'

Intersectional Peonies 'Sonoma Apricot' & 'Ballarena de Saval'

2019 Intersectional Peony 'Sonoma Blessing' a Tiny Blessing

Intersectional Peony 'Sonoma Blessing'
I must say I was also impressed with Intersectional Peony 'Sonoma Blessing' this year! This was also its first year, and although it didn't match the bloom count on 2019 Intersectional Peony 'Magical Mystery Tour' Has 8 Blooms in First Year!, it actually did pretty well with 6 blooms in its first year. I really like the delicate pattern on the petals, a mixture of a pale pink petal with hot pink streaks! There's also some pretty hot pink flares in the center as well, that are kind of shaped like small rounded flower petals too. This plant seems to have a shorter stature as well (so far), making me think of this peony as a "tiny blessing"!


Intersectional Peony 'Sonoma Blessing'
First Round of Blooms
The "blessing" in this peony also seems to be another round of blooms. After the first set of blooms had faded, another set quickly began to open, almost coming back to life! I purchased this peony from Adelman Peony Gardens, and I must say I always get very sizable peony roots from them. So I'm sure that had something to do with this plant's wonderful first year performance! This peony's second set of blooms seem to open a bit lighter than the first set of blooms, giving the blooms a more of a peppermint look than the first set.


Intersectional Peony 'Sonoma Blessing'
From the 2019 Intersectional Peony Catalog Price Comparison List, it doesn't look like anyone is offering this variety this year, but from the 2018 Intersectional Peony Catalog Price Comparison List, it looks like both Adelmans and Solaris Farms both offered it for sale last year. So I would keep an eye out for their catalogs next year if you are interested in acquiring one of these petite beauties. It looks like this variety isn't registered with the American Peony Society. Hopefully it will be registered one day, though! It's too cute not to be! :-)


Intersectional Peony 'Sonoma Blessing'
Second Round of Blooms

2019 Intersectional Peonies with Color Block Petals

Intersectional Peony 'Kopper Kettle'
with Color Block Petals
I could barely believe this eye-popping bloom on my Peony 'Kopper Kettle' plant this year, and it wasn't the only one. There were actually several blooms on my Intersectional Peony 'Kopper Kettle' with varying degrees of color separation, but this one was by far the most dramatic. Usually my Peony 'Kopper Kettle' is a fun mix of orange, yellow, and coral. This year it was much different. Some of the blooms were the normal color, but several were not. Peony 'Kopper Kettle' was also not the only intersectional peony with color block petals on some of its blooms in my garden this year. Peony 'Singing in the Rain' and Peony 'Lemon Dream' both also have color blocked petals this year. If you don't yet grow any intersectional peonies, this might be another reason to add some to your garden! Enjoy!!


Intersectional Peony 'Singing in the Rain'
with Color Block Petals

Intersectional Peony 'Kopper Kettle'
with Color Block Petals

Intersectional Peony 'Kopper Kettle'
with Color Block Petals

Intersectional Peony 'Kopper Kettle'
with Color Block Petals

Intersectional Peony 'Lemon Dream'
with Color Block Petals

Intersectional Peony 'Kopper Kettle'
with Color Block Petals

Intersectional Peony 'Kopper Kettle'
with Color Block Petals

2019 Intersectional Peony 'Magical Mystery Tour' Has 8 Blooms in First Year!

Intersectional Peony 'Magical Mystery Tour'
I must say I was really impressed with Intersectional Peony 'Magical Mystery Tour' this year! This was the very first growing year for me for this peony. I just planted it last fall 2018. So it was really a shock to me when this peony grew so large and had so many blooms on it the very first year! I don't think I've had any other peony grow so large and have so many bloom on it in its first year of growth. Sometimes I will get a first year bloom from the stored energy in the peony's root system, but that's just one bloom, maybe, but 8? That's just amazing!!! I can't wait to see what this Peony 'Magical Mystery Tour' does next year!


Intersectional Peony 'Magical Mystery Tour'
I actually got this peony from Solaris Farms. So maybe that says more about the vendor than the peony variety, but I'm thinking it is probably some of both. This intersectional variety seems to hold a lot of promise. I'm wondering if it will come close to the performance of my 2019 360° View of Intersectional Peony 'Keiko' 愛幕 (Adored) - 'Pink Double Dandy', one of the best performing intersectional peonies in my garden. This peony was hybridized by Don Smith, and he mentions it in my 2016 interview with him as one of his "oldies but goodies", 2016 Peony Hybridizer Interview - Don R. Smith (I had been trying to get my hands on one of them ever since!)


Intersectional Peony 'Magical Mystery Tour'
This peony actually goes through a range of colors, which seems to be appropriate as the name of the variety suggests not only that the hybridizer Don Smith is a fan of the Beatles, but that the peony goes through a rainbow like transformation during its bloom season fitting with the rainbow-like theme of the Magical Mystery Tour movie and album. The blooms of Intersectional Peony 'Magical Mystery Tour' open as a beautiful coral pink color, fading to a variety of coral peach and pinky cream tones over time. The blooms also have almost 2 rounds of blooming each year as well, as hybridizer Don Smith likes to select for extended bloom season in his varieties.


Intersectional Peony 'Magical Mystery Tour'
Right when you least expect it, a second set of blooms open on the plant. It's almost as if the entire plant reset itself for another round of blooming. The first set of blooms had completely finished, and then almost as if by surprise, another set of blooms begins to open like magic! It was so nice to see a whole other round of blooming after the first blooms had finished. It was like I got a bonus bloom season from this variety! I don't think I've ever seen any other peony plant behave quite that way. Maybe it was just the weather, but I'm guessing this one will extend it's bloom season again next year. Maybe it won't be in the exact same dramatic fashion as it was in its first bloom season, but I'm guessing it will be another "magical mystery tour"...


Intersectional Peony 'Magical Mystery Tour'
If you have not yet gotten a chance to purchase this variety, check out our 2019 Intersectional Peony Catalog Price Comparison List to see where it is available. It looks like it is sold out at Solaris Farms this year, as I don't see it on their web site anymore. However check back in January for our 2020 Intersectional Peony Catalog Price Comparison List to see which vendors will be offering it next year. Also there a lots of other great intersectional peonies still available for shipping this year. If you still have a few spots to fill, I'd definitely recommend an intersectional peony, they are just great growers (especially in the South)!


Intersectional Peony 'Magical Mystery Tour'

Intersectional Peony 'Magical Mystery Tour'

Intersectional Peony 'Magical Mystery Tour'

2019 Peony 'Smith Family Yellow' Best Performer - Week 5

Intersectional Peony 'Smith Family Yellow'
Southern Peony Best Performer
It didn't take long for this beauty to get to be a full sized magnificent plant. I first planted this Intersectional Peony 'Smith Family Yellow' in 2015, and it has grown rapidly ever since. This peony was hybridized by Don Smith, and he even mentions it as being one of his most popular with the public in my interview with him, 2016 Peony Hybridizer Interview - Don R. Smith. It was registered in 2002. So it's actually a pretty new peony to the market. I know that Peony 'Bartzella' is the gold (pun intended) standard of intersectional peonies, but this one is a little better to me. There is less red in the blooms, and the petals are a bit more regular and rounded. Each ones of the blooms is like a bright yellow sunshine on the bush. The blooms cover the bush well on all sides, and the bright yellow blooms of this peony just lift you up and make you feel sunny! It looks like there are 2 vendors offering it for sale this year (at the same price point I bought it for in 2015), 2019 Intersectional Peony Catalog Price Comparison List. I'm sad to say it hasn't come down in price at all since I bought it 4 years ago, but it is worth every penny!


Intersectional Peony 'Smith Family Yellow'
Southern Peony Best Performer

Intersectional Peony 'Smith Family Yellow'
Southern Peony Best Performer

Intersectional Peony 'Smith Family Yellow'
Southern Peony Best Performer

2019 Intersectional Peony 'Joanna Marlene' Update

Intersectional Peony 'Joanna Marlene' from Ebay, in Bud
Since so many people have been asking me about that Intersectional Peony 'Joanna Marlene' root I bought on Ebay, I decided I should write an update about her. There were several comments on the article I wrote about purchasing this peony on Ebay, 2015 Intersectional Peony 'Joanna Marlene' on Ebay, wanting to know the status of this plant. I must say I was excited to see its first bud developing this year. This peony took quite a while to get to blooming size, but it finally made it. I was so ready and full of anticipation for it to open. After all these years of waiting, the moment of truth had finally arrived!


Intersectional Peony 'Joanna Marlene' from Ebay, Old Bloom
I did actually capture a photo of it in bud one evening last week. However I totally missed it opening the next day. (Pesky work, what's it good for?! LOL) By the time I had a chance to snap another photo of it 3 days later, there wasn't much left of it, and not much color either. Judging by the color of the bud that was just about to open, though, it looks like this peony is probably the correct cultivar. Sometimes the first bloom on a plant is not very indicative of what a full sized plant's bloom may look like. So it's quite possible that the blooms on this plant will have more petals next year. I guess I will have to reserve making a final judgement on the positive identification of this plant, but so far the prognosis looks good!

2019 Intersectional Peony Blooms Late Mid Week 5

Is it bad to say that I'm already looking forward to next year? I know, I know. I still have a few buds that haven't opened yet, and several late herbaceous peonies to look forward to, but I must say I really am going to miss all of these peony blooms, especially these colorful intersectional peonies. I feel like there's a rainbow in my garden when these peonies are in bloom! Intersectional Peony 'Mock Orange Yellow' open for the first time for me this year, and I love the orange color! Sometimes you can find a delicate pinkish bloom on Intersectional Peony 'Old Rose Dandy', and this is a good example of one. Intersectional Peony 'Cora Louise' is always a great plant with its standout white blooms and purple tinted base. Intersectional Peony 'Pastel Splendor' has so many colors in the bloom and is very interesting to look at. Sometimes the blooms on Intersectional Peony 'Little Darlin'' are wild and crazy and sometimes they're neat and orderly. This one is the "neat and orderly" variety, but the color is what draws you in! Intersectional Peony 'Lunar Glow' which bloomed for the first time for me this year has a soft yellow color and very soft rounded petals. Intersectional Peony 'Luxuriant' also opened for the first time for me this year having good substance and symmetry.


Intersectional Peony 'Mock Orange Yellow'

Intersectional Peony 'Old Rose Dandy'

Intersectional Peony 'Cora Louise'

Intersectional Peony 'Pastel Splendor'

Intersectional Peony 'Little Darlin''

Intersectional Peony 'Lunar Glow'

Intersectional Peony 'Luxuriant'

2019 360° View of Intersectional Peony 'Keiko' 愛幕 (Adored) - 'Pink Double Dandy'

This peony, 'Keiko' 愛幕 (Adored) aka 'Pink Double Dandy', is always one of my Best Performers. This intersectional peony plant just had so many pretty, pink flowers on it, that every side was covered. So I decided to take this series of photos showing the peony blooms on every side of the bush. There are just so many flowers on this plant, that there was not one side that wasn't covered. If you're not yet convinced that this peony, Peony 'Keiko' (Adored) Best Performer is one of the best intersectional peonies out there, then perhaps this will convince you...















360° View of Intersectional Peony 'Keiko' 愛幕 (Adored)
'Pink Double Dandy'