Tuesday, May 8, 2018

2018 Peony 'White Emperor' Best Performer - Week 5

Of all the white intersectionals I grow, this one, Intersectional Peony 'White Emperor' has definitely performed the best for me so far. I'm not sure why there aren't more white intesectional peonies. I only know of two, and I believe they are both sports of yellow intersectional peonies. This one, Intersectional Peony 'White Emperor' is a sport of Intersectional Peony 'Yellow Emperor', which also grows well for me. Intersectional Peony 'White Emperor' is a consistent performer year after year, always growing and increasing in size and blooms. It was hybridized/discovered by Bill Seidl and registered in 1989. The blooms open with a creamy white center and become more white as the blooms age. If you haven't heard of Intersectional Peony 'White Emperor', I'm not surprised. It seems that not many people grow it, but they should. I've only seen it offered by Swenson Gardens (which is where I purchased it). According to my Price Lists, it looks like they are offering it this year for $100, and it is not yet sold out. Don't miss your chance! :-)

Intersectional Peony 'White Emperor'
Southern Peony Best Performer

Sunday, May 6, 2018

2018 Peony Botanical Art Note Cards from Colonial Williamsburg

If you're like me there's just something magical about botanical art, and botanical art with peonies as the subject is just all that much better. So when I received botanical art note cards in the mail last week, I just knew I'd have to share them here with all of you. This piece is titled "Paeonia lactiflora, Paeoniaceae". The note cards are supposed to depict the kinds of flowers that were grown in Williamsburg, Virginia in the colonial era. The peony is of course my favorite. However there are also a few other note cards depicting Dahlia & Asters, Magnolia, Violas, and Tulips. I looked up the artist, Marcia Long, on Google, and apparently she has at least a few other botanicals featuring peonies, Botanicals by Marcia Long, all beautiful. She is also apparently a resident of Williamsburg, Virginia.

Peony Botanical Art Note Card
"Paeonia lactiflora"
"Paeoniaceae"
"Marcia Long"
If you have never been to Williamsburg, Virginia, it is a wonderful place for a family vacation or just a couples getaway. It is a nice, relaxing area with lots of history. My whole family (including my parents, brother, sister in law, and nephew) actually just took a week's vacation there last year. For a very reasonable price we were able to rent a large condo to fit all of us, and we had a great time. It was also nice to visit Colonial Williamsburg as well. Even though we didn't see any peonies (since we went in September), it was still nice to eat authentic cuisine from yesteryear, hear the organs of one of their original churches, see the architecture of their historic buildings, hear the ghost stories of the colonial area, and learn about the culture and traditions of long ago.

Peony Botanical Art Note Card on Letter
from The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation

Saturday, May 5, 2018

2018 Intersectional Peony 'Sonoma YeDo' Update

After my 2018 Intersectional Peony Garden Welcomes Me Home, I received a question asking about how my Intersectional Peony 'Sonoma YeDo' was doing, or more specifically how it was growing. It is actually growing quite well. It's definitely not mature yet, but it certainly is very healthy and increasing in size and blooms. If you'll remember, I actually only got this plant last winter in January of 2017, and got my first bloom that spring as well, 2017 Intersectional Peony 'Sonoma YeDo' Blooms! Last year I got 1 bloom on the bush, and it had 4 stems. This year, in its second year of growth, I have 10 stems and 3 blooms on the bush. I can't wait to see what it does next year! The foliage it quite lovely and very healthy too. This yellow intersectional peony is a real keeper. Take a look for yourself!