2022 Planting Intersectional Peony 'Belle Toulousaine'

From my order of 2022 Spring Hill Nursery Sells 2 New Intersectionals - Peony 'Belle Toulousaine' & Peony 'Symphone Pourpre', one of the peonies arrived a couple of weeks ago, Peony 'Belle Toulousaine'. The other one did not come, as I got an out of stock notice for it, which was a bit disappointing, but I am grateful that one of them arrived at least (and from the photos, it looks like it might be the prettier one!)


Box from Spring Hill Nursery
with Intersectional Peony 'Belle Toulousaine'

Bagged Intersectional Peony 'Belle Toulousaine'
The plant was nicely boxed with breathing holes to prevent it from overheating. Inside the box, the plant was bagged, which surprised me, as the intersectional peonies that I've ordered from Spring Hill Nursery have usually been potted in previous years, 2019 Spring Hill Nursery Peony Order Arrives and 2020 Intersectional Peony 'Duchesse de Lorraine' Arrives from Spring Hill Nursery. However upon opening the bag, I could tell that this plant had recently been potted.


Unbagged Intersectional Peony 'Belle Toulousaine'

Intersectional Peony 'Belle Toulousaine' Roots and Stems
The roots were still in the shape of the pot it had been in. It looked as if this plant had been growing in a pot for quite some time, and it was removed from its pot and sealed in this bag just before shipping. I guess it saves them money on pots. Perhaps they will reuse them, which is fine with me, as I will just recycle the pot anyway. As long as the plant grows just as well, I suppose it doesn't matter. The bag also had some information about the peony printed on it:

BELLE TOULOUSAINE ITOH PEONY PP26908
Paeonia itoh 'rtpiv789-06

Light: Full sun to partial shade      Height: 36-40"
Depth: Crown 1-2" below soil line      Spacing: 4'

Intersectional Peony 'Belle Toulousaine' Bag Info

Planting Intersectional Peony 'Belle Toulousaine'
After I got it unbagged, I planted it right away. I dug a nice hole, added some organic flower fertilizer to the hole, and mixed it in. After I got the peony into the hole, I added part of the dirt around it. Then I added water to the planting hole. Adding water to the bottom of the hole will help the plant and roots retain some moisture deeper into the ground, which will help your new plant get a good start! Always remember to put water into the hole before you put all of the soil back!

Planting Intersectional Peony 'Belle Toulousaine'

Planting Intersectional Peony 'Belle Toulousaine'
Add Water to the Planting Hole
After the roots and surrounding dirt were thouroughly soaked, I added more dirt to the hole, then I added more water. Making sure to give your plant a good drink when it is first introduced to its new home is essential. As you can see on the first watering, the roots were still exposed, and on the second watering only the foliage was exposed. Then when I added the final layer of dirt, all of the peony was covered except the tip of one of the tiny foliage shoots (the other shoot was just barely under the dirt).


Planting Intersectional Peony 'Belle Toulousaine'
Add More Dirt to the Planting Hole

Planting Intersectional Peony 'Belle Toulousaine'
Add Even More Water to the Planting Hole

Planting Intersectional Peony 'Belle Toulousaine'
Add Even More Dirt to the Planting Hole
Now that my Intersectional Peony 'Belle Toulousaine' is fully planted, I can't wait to see how it grows (and blooms)!! It might still be a couple of years before I get a bloom on this one. It definitely won't bloom this year, and the plant may still be too small next year as well. The peony needs to reach a critical mass size to bloom. This can really depend on the peony variety (and it's growing conditions of course), but I'm sure it will be worth the wait! Come on, grow, grow! :-)


Planting Intersectional Peony 'Belle Toulousaine'

2022 Southern Peony Bloom Season

I must say this has been one of the weirdest bloom seasons I've seen in a while, and I am learning to be grateful for what and however Mother Nature decides to unfold herself...


2022 Southern Peony Bloom Season
Our early season hebaceous peonies and tree peonies experienced a late frost, which did abort several in process bloom buds, even large ones, which was quite dissappointing.

Although our drought levels here in my county are considered normal, No Drought, some counties directly to our east are in Abnormally Dry, Moderate Drought, and Severe Drought conditions. I would say that it does seem a bit drier here than usual this spring, which I feel like has decreased the number of above ground stems the peonies have decided to send up. This dryness has also however prevented almost all botrytyis blight - which is a good thing!


2022 Southern Peony Bloom Season
We've gotten a couple of heavy rains after extended dry periods, which seemed to spur a few peonies into sending up a late stem or two. On some of these late stems, we got some blooms that opened on plants long after all of their other buds were completely finished blooming.

The late freeze we experienced aborted many main buds on plants, leaving some side buds undamaged. The absence of the aborted main buds and subsequent development of these side buds really impacted the initial bloom dates of these peonies. The remaining side buds bloomed much later than the normal bloom date for these peonies, causing a mixup of bloom dates with peonies all around the spectrum. This main bud damage was noted in all 3 forms of peonies - tree peonies, herbaceous peonies, and intersectional peonies.


2022 Southern Peony Bloom Season
We've also experienced some interesting temperatures as well. The beginning of the season started out with mild/normal temperatures. The middle of the peony bloom season was very hot, a couple of weeks of 80 degree temperatures, which really shrivels blooms quickly! The end of the peony bloom season seems to be leveling out in temperatures again, back to the mild/normal pattern, with temperatures back in the 70s most days, which is gorgeous weather here for this time of year!!

This lowering of temperatures at the tail end of our peony season has really made it nice for the mainstay and late herbaceous peonies. I can't wait to continue to see how they unfold! I hope your peony bloom season is going well, no matter your location, and don't forget to stop and smell the peonies!

2022 Peony 'Tropicana' Southern Peony Best Performer - Week 3

Peony 'Tropicana'
Southern Peony Best Performer
I have excitedly been watching this Peony 'Tropicana' grow and grow steadily over the past couple years. Each year it gets larger with more blooms. It's growth habit really reminds me of Peony 'Coral Charm', but the flowers are brighter and deeper coral. The flower petals have even thicker substance, and the blooms last much longer. The foliage is not quite as sparse and a nicer color of green.


Peony 'Tropicana'
Southern Peony Best Performer
This peony usually has one bloom per stem, but it can have multiple on a stem. However each of these blooms is just so gorgeous, they pretty much need a stem to themselves!! Peony 'Tropicana' also seems to be pretty resistant to late frosts. We had a pretty bad late frost this year, and I lost a lot of main buds on many early, and early-mid peony varieties. However Peony 'Tropicana' appeared to be unscathed after the frost.


Peony 'Tropicana'
Southern Peony Best Performer
This peony also just grows and multiplies so well. It just seems to shrug off our hot, dry, long summers and just keeps on growing year after year - so tough - perfect for our Southern climate! This peony was also hit pretty bad with lawn herbicides one year by my lawn company (who is no longer allowed to spray in my back yard). It was so mangled up and twisted, I thought it might die, but this plant was so strong it fought its way back and it's even bigger and taller now than it was then!


Peony 'Tropicana'
Southern Peony Best Performer
Peony 'Tropicana' was hybridized by Jack Nordick and registered in 2012. So this is actually a more recent herbaceous peony introduction, and one definitely worth adding to your collection! The flowers seem to last longer than the other coral colored herbaceous peonies. These blooms fade as they age as well, as you can see I even captured one of them in a gorgeous ombre color-changing state - so gorgeous!! The blooms eventually fade to a pale pink edged cream. So you can enjoy a multitude of looks from these gorgeous peony blooms!


Peony 'Tropicana'
Southern Peony Best Performer
If you're looking for a place to snag one of these gorgeous gems, Peony 'Tropicana' was not only featured in our list, it also happened to be the "cover flower" this year for our 2022 Herbaceous Hot 100 Peony Catalog Price Comparison List. There seem to be a couple of growers selling it in the $50-$60 price range this year, which is pretty reasonable, I think!


Peony 'Tropicana'
Southern Peony Best Performer

2022 First Bloom on Intersectional Peony 'Haleigh's Hallelujah'!!

I was excited to see what the first would look like on Intersectional Peony 'Haleigh's Hallelujah'. This first bloom on the plant actually opened about 2 weeks ago (on 4/14). I think it bloomed a bit ahead of normal, most likely to having been grown in a green house or perhaps a warmer climate, (but my guess is a greenhouse). It was an overcast day when I took this photo, so it's not quite as sunny and bright as most of my usual photos, but the flower does look quite nice.


Intersectional Peony 'Haleigh's Hallelujah'
First Bloom to Open 4/14
I can't say that the color is anything special, as it does seem to be in the same pink to yellow color family as the majority of other intersectional peonies. However it's most unique feature seems to be the picotee edging, which is quite unique! The blooms keep their picotee edge as the flower changes color as well (as it ages). I must say I don't have another peony quite like it. It does kind of remind me of Intersectional Peony 'Berry Garcia', (which I like a LOT), with a lot more petals and deeper colors.


Intersectional Peony 'Haleigh's Hallelujah'
First Bloom to Open 4/15
The flowers do seem to be quite full of petals, a nice full semi-double form to me. The petals open with a combination of pink cream, and seem to change to a pale pink edge changing over to light yellow. The picotee edge is not harsh and seems to fade into the other color, with an almost ombre like effect. I do like it, and am very glad I purchased it when I saw it, 2022 Intersectional Peony 'Haleigh's Hallelujah' at Local Nursery!


Intersectional Peony 'Haleigh's Hallelujah' Sign

2022 Southern Peony Easter Egg Hunt

Southern Peony Easter Egg Hunt
I am once again reminded of how the simple things in life can be so meaningful. Being able to gather with friends and family, something we all took for granted not so long ago, was not an option for many during the global pandemic. I am so grateful that we are once again able to share a tasty meal, celebrate a spring holiday, and watch the children run and play in the garden amongst the flowers.


Southern Peony Easter Egg Hunt
These photos are from last Sunday, and I am not sure why I couldn't get an in focus photo of my little boy. Maybe he was too excited to find the eggs and running too fast for the camera. The peonies and irises were definitely putting on a colorful show. Not everything is in bloom yet, but many of the earlier peony varieties had flowers, and a few of the intersectional peonies were starting to open too.


Southern Peony Easter Egg Hunt
I think everyone had a good time, with plenty of eggs (and candy) to go around. This year we also threw some Easter Eggs into the lawn, just to watch the kids race to the eggs. :-D I also found 3 more unfound eggs out in the garden this weekend (a week later). So the kids didn't find them all. I bet I haven't found them all yet either! We were definitely blessed to be able to share Easter with my granparents, parents, brother's family, and friends. I hope each one of you had a nice Easter as well, and you found a little time to spend out in the flower garden!


Southern Peony Easter Egg Hunt

2022 Southern Peony @ Blossom + Bone Flower Arranging Workshop

Southern Peony Flower Workshop Bouquet with Blossom + Bone
I have been pretty busy this past week, not in the garden but at our quarterly All Hands Meeting at work. This time, though, I actually got to do an activity with and learn something about flowers! How cool is that? (especially since software is my day job)? We were given three options for the social activity on the final day of the meeting, and one of the options was a flower arranging class with Blossom + Bone, a local Durham, NC florist. Of course I picked that one, and I made a thing...


Southern Peony Flower Wrapped Workshop Bouquet
We were allowed to choose the flower colors for our bouquets and the greenery. I decided to pick some of the more lavender colors for my bouquet (of course). There were so many pretty flowers to choose from though, there were bright, sunny yellow snapdragons and neon orange poppies that really grabbed your attention. Even though there weren't any peonies to put in our bouquets, I still had a great time thinking about how to best use the greenery, how to fill in dead space in an arrangement, and how to coordinate (or contrast) the colors in your bouquet. It was so much fun, and I can't wait to put my flower arranging skills to good use again at the upcoming APS Convention!


Blossom + Bone Florals
How can you not love a florist that has an intersectional (itoh) peony on the front page of their web site? Blossom + Bone Florals. I had such a great time meeting some of the ladies of Blossom + Bone, and getting to chat with them about their backgrounds. I even got to hang out with a fellow lefty that helped me tie my bouquet with twine. She had previously worked on a flower farm (after graduating college), and it was fun to hear her stories on how to grow some of the trickier types of flowers. I am filled with gratitude for being able to meet some other flower aficianados, spend some fun time with my colleagues, and get to take home an awesome floral bouquet!!

2022 Tree Peony Blooms - Week 3

Sometimes you just want to look at the flowers. This week had several tree peonies blooming and one that just smelled so good - the bright pink one, Tree Peony 'Sahohime'. I just couldn't get enough of its scent. Every time I passed by it, I just had to lean in for another sniff! The purple flares on the Tree Peony Paeonia Rockii always impress me. The bright red color of Tree Peony 'Taiyo' almost calls to you from way across the garden, beckoning to come nearer. And who can resist such a full, bountiful double blooms as that of Tree Peony 'Shimanishiki'?


Tree Peony 'Lavender Grace'

Tree Peony Paeonia Rockii

Tree Peony 'Taiyo' 太陽 (The Sun)

Tree Peony 'Sahohime' 佐保姫 (Princess Saho)

Tree Peony 'Shimanishiki' 島錦 (Island Brocade)

2022 Red Tree Peony Broken!

Red Tree Peony with Broken Branch
I have a sneaking suspicion that the squirrels might have had something to do with this broken branch on my red tree peony. They have been pillaging the sunflowers in my bird feeders, digging up (and eating) lots of crocus bulbs (and muscari bulbs) in my garden this spring, and just being a nuiscance in general. They've even dug up some daffodil bulbs (which they supposedly don't like)!


Red Tree Peony Broken Branch
I know things like this (broken tree peony branches) happen from time to time, but this year this red tree peony looked especially good and was growing so well. It even had 5 blooms on it, which is the most blooms it has ever had! Aside from losing the bloom, which already hurts, it kind of feels like this tree peony is losing 20% of it's growing capabilities for the entire year, as there was quite a bit of tree peony foliage broken off with this branch as well.


Red Tree Peony with Broken Branch
My tree peony garden feels like it really has had a rough time getting started. I started collecting tree peonies last (after herbaceous and intersectional peonies), and the only tree peony that I have that is doing stupendous at the moment is Tree Peony 'White Phoenix'. I have been having a really hard time getting so many tree peonies to take. Many of them will grow for 1-3 years, sometimes more, but many of them will peter out after that or never really grow well, and just get smaller each year until they die. (Some of them have even gotten sprayed with weed killer!) I hope this string of bad luck with tree peonies ends soon!


Red Tree Peony Bloom

2022 Second Tree Peony Bloom(s) of the Season!!

We've had quite the cold spell since the 2022 First Tree Peony Bud of the Season! That tree peony ostii with the first bud was the lone tree peony with blooms for about a week and a half, and it has also been dry with no rain. Yesterday we got a big rain, about an inch and a half, with a warm front, and that really did the trick!! Several other tree peonies and one herbaceous peony all burst into bloom on the same day, April 1st! The extra moisture (and especially the warmer weather) really spurred these peonies into action! I love the whites and lavenders of these very early peonies. It is nice to enjoy these delicate, pastel petal colors in the early peony bloom season. 🙂


Tree Peony 'White Pheonix'

Tree Peony 'White Phoenix'

Tree Peony 'White Phoenix'

Tree Peony Paeonii Rockii Lavender

Peony 'Halcyon'

Tree Peony Paeonii Rockii Lavender

Tree Peony Seedling

2022 Intersectional Peony 'Haleigh's Hallelujah' at Local Nursery!

I couldn't really believe it, at first. An Intersectional Peony I've never seen before, for sale at my local nursery!?! I was actually interested in it, but then I saw the price tag $99, and it scared me off. There was also only 1 of this variety, and it looked at little smaller than the other intersectional peonies they were selling. I also didn't see a bloom bud on it. I believe I kept myself at a distance since the price was so high. So I actually left the nursery - Logan's Garden Shop, and went on shopping to see what else was being offered this spring.


Intersectional Peony 'Haleigh's Hallelujah' at Local Nursery
I actually went to Homewood Nursery to see what they were selling this year. I wasn't actually looking for a peony that day, when I found 2022 Peonies at Local Nurseries - Logan's Garden Shop & Homewood Nursery. I was really looking for anemones, the small, short growing single variety, in hot pink, red, and white. I had just seen them growing in nearby Edenton, NC when we took a weekend trip for our anniversary. Those anemones were so bright, and their colors just popped in the early spring garden, blooming with the snowdrops. Alas, I did not find any anemones, but I kept thinking about the Intersectional Peony, 'Haleigh's Hallelujah'...


Intersectional Peony 'Haleigh's Hallelujah' Plant Tag
I figured that no matter which catalog or grower I ordered this plant from, the price would probably be $50-$100 anyway, 2022 Intersectional Peony Catalog Price Comparison List (and actually I've never seen it offered before since I've been doing my intersectional peony price list - way back to 2013!) So even if someone did offer it, the price would likely be closer to $100 since it is still rare. Also you'd have to pay a shipping fee to get it to your house (on top of the price of the root). And - it would be a root, this one is a decent sized plant growing in a large 3 gallon pot!


Intersectional Peony 'Haleigh's Hallelujah'
Anyway, I rationalized my way back to Logan's Plant Shop! Ha Ha! 😃 Luckily, the plant was still there and had not been sold (since it was the only one of that variety). Also when I got back to it, I examined it a bit closer, and it did actually have some bloom buds on it. I was thinking earlier that it did not. I think I wouldn't really let myself get close enough to it to really look at it, since the price tag had scared me off! In the end I was able to purchase my very own Intersectional Peony 'Haleigh's Hallelujah', and I'm very glad I did, as it is actually a peony that was hybridized by my friend Don Smith, who I interviewed in 2016 Peony Hybridizer Interview - Don R. Smith. Intersectional Peony 'Haleigh's Hallelujah', was actually named after Don Smith's daughter - Haleigh!

I can't wait to grow it!!

2022 Peonies at Local Nurseries - Logan's Garden Shop & Homewood Nursery

Peonies at Local Nursery - Logan's Garden Shop
When I went out today to look at a couple of local nurseries, I found several varieties of peonies for sale! If you are looking for a quick way to get a peony started or to get started with peonies, buying a potted peony in spring can be a great way to jump start your collection! If you can find one in bloom or in bud with the color showing - even better! That way you can feel a little more sure of what you're getting.


Peonies at Local Nursery - Homewood Nursery
The peonies I saw today were not in bloom. They were in the stem and foliage growth stage, just the same as the peonies growing in my garden. If you do plan to purchase a potted peony this spring, be sure to get it into the ground as soon as possible before the summer weather arrives and it turns so hot! Any extra time they can get to become acclimated to their new home while the temps are still a little cool will be good.


Intersectional Peonies at Local Nursery - Homewood Nursery
Both of the nurseries I visited, both Logan's Garden Shop & Homewood Nursery were offering both the traditional herbaceous peonies and several intersectional varieties as well. I even saw some pretty new intersectional peony varieties like Intersectional Peony 'Pink Double Dandy' (aka Keiko), Intersectional Peony 'Belle Toulousaine', and Intersectional Peony 'Duchesse de Lorraine'. The prices were in the range of $40 for the herbaceous peony varieties and the range of $90-$120 for the intersectional peony varieties.

Herbaceous Peonies at Local Nursery - Logan's Garden Shop
The prices for these potted peonies are definitely more costly than purchasing a root from a grower, but you are really buying time. If you didn't purchase a peony root last year and plant it last fall (to see it grow this spring), then you'd really have to wait until next year to even see your peony grow if you are planning to buy a bare root this year. Also many bare root peony divisions won't bloom their first year to two, or sometimes they bloom the very first year, then won't bloom for another year or two. They need time to become established. These potted peonies are already established as plants on their own and will likely continue to bloom for you year after year, assuming you plant your peony in a location where it is happy!

Logan's Garden Shop Sale - 20% Peonies when you buy 3 or More -
Logan's even had a sale on peonies today - 20% off when you buy 3 or more! I am so happy to be able to support local family businesses in my area, and I hope you are able to do the same where you live! Buying local means a lot to the local economy, the local stores, the local people who own those businesses, and the local people that work there! So I hope you will Shop Small, Shop Local! and look for local plant nurseries near you (that just might already have their first shipment of peonies in)!!

2022 American Peony Society Convention Donation - Intersectional Peony 'Hillary'

This past Sunday I got an email request for donation from the American Peony Society (as all APS members should have received), and although I am not a commercial peony grower, and I definitely do not have fields or even a field of peonies, I still decided to donate a peony to the auction. If you are an APS member and have a home garden like me, I hope you too will consider donating a plant to the auction. Each year this APS auction is the main fundraiser for the APS organization, and it helps support the APS convention and bulletin publishing costs.


Intersectional Peony 'Hillary'
The peony that I decided to donate is Intersectional Peony 'Hillary'. It is definitely one of my favorite intersectional peonies, and it is also a Southern Peony Best Performer. This peony grows so well here that it will make a very large bush (which can also be divided). Even after division, this plant bounces back and keep on growing. The blooms on this plant are stunning, and as you can see from this photo (from our bloom season last year), the petals can slowly fade to an almost pastel like bloom, while the new flowers open a bright reddish-pink! This Intersectional Peony 'Hillary' is as stunning in person as it is in photos (or perhaps more)!