2015 Spring Peony Buds of a Different Color

I was out early this morning in the garden, and the peonies were all wet with a fresh spring rain. As I wait in anticipation for the peony buds to burst open with a rainbow of colors, I can't help but notice the peony buds swelling in a multitude of different colors, shapes, and forms. Peony 'Coral Charm' has bright red stems beneath its bright green buds. Peony 'Early Scout' holds it buds tightly above its nice cut foliage. Peony 'Firelight' has bright red buds above a fuzzy stem. The petals are beginning to peek through on Peony 'Flame' and Peony 'Lustrous'. Peony 'Garden Peace' has a wide range of hues in its bud cluster from purple, burgundy, pink, orange, and bright green. Peony 'Lavender' even has lavender in its stems, leaves, and buds! Peony 'Nova' holds a yellow tipped green buds over fuzzy stems. Peony 'Rose Garland' has a bright green bud over a bright green stem. Their multitude of differences tells of lots of different genetic material floating around in their DNA. I keep waiting for the first peony bloom to open. The first peony to bloom is usually Peony 'Early Scout', but some other peony may win the race this year. We'll see!

Peony 'Coral Charm' Bud	Peony 'Early Scout' Bud	Peony 'Firelight' Bud
Peony 'Flame' Bud	Peony 'Garden Peace' Bud	Peony 'Lavender' Bud
Peony 'Lustrous' Bud	Peony 'Nova' Bud	Peony 'Rose Garland' Bud

2015 So Many Peony Things to Do!

It feels like peony season has just crept up on me! There are so many things I'd like to do - count my peony seedlings to check the germination rates, check peony plants for buds, take photos of peonies, record the immature foliage colors for each variety, the list goes on! I'm also thinking about showing some flowers in this year's 2015 American Peony Society Convention in Kentucky. So I also need to research - read and reread - (again!) the instructions on how to cut and store peonies for showing. These instructions are available for all convention attendees and are posted the American Peony Society web site under 2015 Convention Exhibition Info on the APS Convention web page. Peonies and peony seedlings are popping out of the ground all around me, and it feels like they are ahead of me! I guess it is time to get busy. I have been stuck inside looking forward to spring for months now, and now it's warm and things are starting to grow, and I'm so happy to be busy outside again! :)
Peony Seedlings Popping Up

2015 American Peony Society Convention in Kentucky

The 2015 American Peony Society Convention is going to be May 13th-17th in Kentucky this year. I'm already registered for everything, and I'm so excited. I wasn't able to go last year, and I missed a whole year of fun. So I'm really excited to see everyone and of course all of the peonies! I have decided to drive this year since it will definitely cut down on my travel costs. That way I will have my own car and won't have to rent a car or fly. The hotel is a bit more expensive this year. I was going to stay elsewhere if I had to fly, but since I'm driving instead, I'll be able to stay at The Galt House Hotel, the hotel where the convention is being held. I'm really looking forward to it since this hotel is right on the river. If you're considering going, now's the time to get your registration in. After April 10th, there is a late fee. Another good reason to drive is that it will be much easier to bring flowers to enter into the APS Peony Exhibition. If you will have some peonies in bloom during the second week in May, you should consider bringing them. There are separate divisions for professional and amateur. So bring what you can. Don't be nervous. This is going to be my first year showing flowers too! ;)
2015 APS Convention in Louisville, Kentucky

2015 Spring Has Sprung Colorful Peonies!!!

Oh my goodness! Blink your eyes and it goes from snow to spring! They are just emerging from the ground, but already my peonies are bringing lots of color and lots of cheer! I am so happy to see each one of them, to see how much they've grown since last year, to see if there are any varieties with a bud on them for the first time, to see if the ones I transplanted and divided are happy in their new homes, just to see them! They aren't even in bloom yet, and they are bringing so much happiness and color. We went from two weeks in a row of winter storms to two weeks of so-so weather to two weeks of spring! Okay, I'm a little excited. I hope you are too! Spring has sprung, and so have the peonies!!!
Peony 'Roy Pehrson's Best Yellow' Emerging Foliage

Peony 'Pink Princess' Peony Seedling Emerging

2015 Tree Peonies in the Ice

The first winter storm hit yesterday. They are predicting another one tonight. The lowest prediction for the overnight low I saw was -4°F! They have now changed that prediction to 0°F. Hopefully if we do see temperatures that low, it is only for a very short period of time, and it doesn't do any damage to any of the peonies. It is now snowing quite a bit as I write this. I guess the only hope is that the snow will create a layer of protection from the cold temperatures. The tips of the peony foliage still look okay so far. I don't see any browning or blackening of the exposed foliage, but we also haven't encountered the lowest predicted temperatures. I'll keep you posted on how they fare!
Tree Peony 'Li Yuan Chun' Under a Layer of Snow & Ice