2018 Southern Peony Ribbons Won at Last Year's 2017 APS Convention

While I actually won more ribbons last year at the 2017 APS Convention, I'm pretty sure I didn't do as well as my first time showing 2 years prior, 2015 American Peony Society Southern Peony Winners. I actually received more ribbons total in 2017 (25 ribbons), but the peony flowers themselves just weren't as good as they were in 2015 (18 ribbons). The flowers were smaller and the petals on several of the varieties were krinkled. My garden had a rough year last year, weather wise. Plus the APS flower show was 2 weeks later in May in 2017 than it was in 2015. That's 2 more weeks for my flowers to sit in the refrigerator (which is not a professional flower cooler). Aside from all of that, I actually won a Court of Honor ribbon in 2015, 2015 APS Southern Peony Court of Honor Winner - 'Keiko'. However none of my show flowers from 2017 seemed to be of that caliber. I was basically trying to get as many varieties into the show as I could for the public to see.

Peony 'Sonoma Amethyst' First Award	Peony 'Little Darlin'' Honorable Mention	Peony 'Julia Rose' First Award
Peony 'Yellow Emperor' First Award	Peony 'Cora Louise' First Award	Peony 'Cora Louise' Honorable Mention
Peony 'White Emperor' Honorable Mention	Peony 'Canary Brilliants' Second Award	Peony 'Canary Brilliants' Honorable Mention
Peony 'Bartzella' Third Award	Peony 'Takara' Second Award	Peony 'Keiko' Third Award
Peony 'Many Happy Returns' First Award	Peony 'Coral Charm' Honorable Mention	Peony 'Topeka Garnet' First Award
Peony 'Top Hat' First Award	Peony 'Angel Cheeks' First Award	Peony 'Topeka Garnet' Second Award
Peony 'Candy Stripe' Second Award	Peony 'Paul M. Wild' Honorable Mention	Peony 'Raspberry Clown' Third Award
Peony 'Raspberry Clown' Second Award	Peony 'Bowl of Cream' Third Award	Peony 'Festiva Maxima' Second Award

Also there are 24 flowers pictured here that were awarded some sort of ribbon. I won 25 ribbons, so apparently I missed photographing one more peony bloom entry. It was a 2nd place ribbon for another entry of Peony 'Many Happy Returns'. As for the counts on the ribbon types, in 2017 there were 8 First Place, 4 Second Place, 3 Third Place, and 6 Honorable Mentions. In 2015 I earned 4 First Place, 9 Second Place, 3 Third Place, and 2 Honorable Mentions. So they really gave out many more Honorable Mentions in 2017. I'm not sure when I'll have a chance to show flowers again. It looks like they may not have a convention within driving distance for me for several years...

Looking over the photos of all of the peonies I entered in 2017, Peony 'Yellow Emperor', Peony 'Canary Brilliants', Peony 'Many Happy Returns', Peony 'Top Hat', Peony 'Angel Cheeks', and Peony 'Bowl of Cream' are my favorites. There's just something about a nice, round, symmetrical peony you just can't beat. Which ones are your favorites?

2018 Top 5 Herbaceous Peonies by Stem Count

Southern Peony Top 5 Herbaceous by Stem Count
Now here we go to round out the rest of our Top 5 by stem count list, this time for herbaceous peonies. If you missed our 2018 Top 5 Intersectional Peonies by Stem Count article yesterday, you should definitely check that one out. So the herbaceous peonies have been growing much longer in my garden than my intersectionals, but the intersectionals have much higher stems counts. So while herbaceous peonies do grow here, intersectionals seem to grow much better! I only started my main intersectional peony garden bed in 2012, 2012 Intersectional Peony Garden Planting, but it has really taken off!

Back to the topic at hand, Top 5 Herbaceous Peonies by Stem Count... Just like I had a few caveats for my Intersectional Top 5 by Stem Count, I also have a few caveats for this list as well, but they are mostly to the credit of the peonies on this list. All of the herbaceous peonies on this list were started bareroot. These were not babied and grown in a pot. These were roots in a bag, in a box, through the mail, etc. And they have all grown into quite fine specimens.

Also two of these peonies have been divided before, and have now grown back in size to be in this Top 5 by Stem Count list. A section of my Peony 'Do Tell' was donated in the 2013 APS Peony Donation to JC Raulston Arboretum. Also a section of my Peony 'Coral Charm' was donated to the same arborteum in 2013 as well. So not only are these two peonies great at growing here in the South, they are also great plants that divide well and grow back to a large size in just a few years. Peony 'Coral Charm' seems to grow up from any pieces you've left in the ground (adventitious roots). So the more you chop this one up and divide it, the more plants pop up around it!

2018 Top 5 Intersectional Peonies by Stem Count

Herbaceous Peony	Stem Count	Year Acquired
Peony 'Coral Charm'	30	2008
Peony 'Do Tell'	21	2007
Peony 'Gilbert Barthelot'	21	2005
Peony 'Coral Fay'	20	2004
Peony 'Paul M. Wild'	20	2005

So what does all of this mean for you? Well, some of these are the oldest peonies in my garden, yes. So they've had a long time to grow to obtain this size. However 2 of them have been divided and have still been able to regrow enough to be in the Top 5, Peony 'Coral Charm' and Peony 'Do Tell'. Peony 'Coral Charm' and Peony 'Do Tell' are also Southern Peony Best Performers, 2015 Peony 'Coral Charm' Best Performer - Week 2 and 2012 Peony 'Do Tell' Best Performer - Week 4. If you want reliable herbaceous peonies, that will come back year after year for you in the South, these peonies are definitely it.

2018 Top 5 Intersectional Peonies by Stem Count

Southern Peony Top 5 Intersectionals by Stem Count
Well, since I've been collecting peony data for 14 years now, and I've got at least 10 years of really good data, I figured I'd better start putting it to good use. Something that Southern gardeners would likely find useful are stem counts for the top 5 peonies in my garden. Since all 5 of those peonies happen to be intersectional peonies, we'll start with those.

Now I will add some caveats. I have divided some peonies. Some were purchased as established plants in a pot. Intersectional Peony 'Bartzella', a Southern Peony Best Performer, surely would have been on this list, had I not divided it and donated sections of it in 2015, 2015 Peony Donation to Historic Whitehall Gardens and 2015 Peony Donation Coastal Georgia Botanical Garden. However 2 of the 5 plants Peony 'Bartzella' plants I have now are just shy of being of size to make this list. So I'm sure Peony 'Bartzella' will appear on this list in the future.

Peony 'Keiko' was purchased in a large multi gallon Monrovia pot, 2013 Monrovia Itoh Peony 'Keiko'™ 愛幕 (Adored), and was well worth the money. I've even won an APS Court of Honor ribbon with a bloom from that plant, 2015 APS Southern Peony Court of Honor Winner - 'Keiko'. Okay, enough of that reminiscing. With no further ado, here it is, the Top 5 Intersectional Peonies growing in my Southern garden by stem count:

2018 Top 5 Intersectional Peonies by Stem Count

Intersectional Peony	Stem Count	Year Acquired
Keiko 愛幕 (Adored) - Pink Double Dandy (Intersectional)	47	2013
Yellow Crown (Intersectional)	40	2007
White Emperor (Intersectional)	34	2012
Little Darlin' (Intersectional)	32	2012
Pastel Splendor (Intersectional)	27	2012

Now that you know which intersectional peonies have the most stems in my garden on a single bush, what are you supposed to do? Well run out and buy them, of course. :-) Aside from that what does this data really mean anyway? I would take it to mean that these plants not only grow well in a Southern climate, but grow exceptionally well. They will reliably increase for you, year after year, without dwindling in size. People who want to grow peonies, they want to grow big peonies, but just not big flowers, they want to grow big bushes full of big flowers. These are the peonies with enough vigor in a Southern climate to fit the bill...

2018 Fresh Layer of Top Soil on Tree Peonies

Fresh Layer of Top Soil on Tree Peonies
Freshly Applied in February
There's only one kind of peony that you can't plant too deep in the South - a tree peony! Most peonies grown in the South (herbaceous peonies) need to be planted with the eyes at ground level. You need to be very careful not to plant them too deep or they will not bloom. The eyes (small pink growth buds) of the peony need to be close to or right at the soil surface so they can collect chilling hours during the winter, enabling the plant to bloom. These peonies are the most common type of peony, herbaceous peonies - the ones whose foliage dies back to the ground every fall/winter.

However tree peonies are a totally different story. Tree peonies have woody stems that persist above ground year to year, and the flower buds develop on these above ground woody stems. Since the buds develop in the cooler above ground air (not within eyes or growth buds at the warmer soil/ground level), the tree peony buds are much more easily able to collect the chilling hours they need to bloom in our Southern climate. Since the buds are above ground on the stems, they cannot be buried in too deeply in the warm earth. Most tree peonies are grafted tree peonies (a branch that is cut from a mature tree peony specimen and is fused with a root from an herbaceous peony). These grafted tree peonies really need to be planted deeply for 2 very important reasons.

Important Reasons to Plant Your Grafted Peony Deep

1. The herbaceous root (or nurse root) that has been grafted to the tree peony stem must be planted far enough underground so that it never has a chance to sprout herbaceous foliage.
(You're trying to grow a tree peony, not some ugly flower from an herbaceous root stock).

2. The tree peony stem needs to be planted as far as possible underground so that it can attempt to grow roots of its own. These tree peony roots can only grow from the tree peony stem. So if you never plant the tree peony's stem below ground, it will not have a chance to grow these tree peony roots. Allowing it to grow its own roots will give the tree peony the opportunity to really take off and establish itself.


Fresh Layer of Top Soil on Tree Peonies
2.5 Weeks Later in March
To this end I like to put a fresh layer of top soil / organic compost around all of my tree peonies every year or two. As you can see I just put this fresh top soil out 2 1/2 weeks ago, and the tree peonies are already enjoying it. Adding this new soil makes sure they are still planted deep enough to attempt to grow some roots of their own, and it also adds a fresh layer of nutrient rich soil right over the tree peony's roots. You can also take this opportunity to sprinkle a little slow release organic fertilizer around them as well. If you do this, I would recommend sprinkling the fertilizer first, then adding the top soil / organic compost on top (or mixing it in). Have you fed your tree peonies yet this year? If not, now is a great time to do so - right before the foliage and blooms appear, giving your tree peonies the nutrition they need to be be best they can be. So what are you waiting for? Your tree peonies are calling you...

2018 Tree Peony 'Angel Emily' Goes from 3 Buds to 10 Buds in One Year of Growth!

Tree Peony 'Angel Emily'
Triples Bud Count From Previous Year
I cannot believe it! This is so exciting! I have not grown another tree peony that has grown this well and this quickly. If you like purple (and I do), you really must add this tree peony to your purchase list. Most of the other peonies I have grown have struggled along trying to become established with 1 bud or no buds, trying to send up a shoot, but this peony, this tree peony, Peony 'Angel Emily', is much different. It is so vigorous, and grows so well here in my Southern climate too. Last year this peony had 3 buds and blooms in it's 3rd year of growth, and now it has increased to 10 buds in it's 4th year of growth. That is more than triple the number of blooms than the previous year, very impressive! I can't wait to see how this peony looks when it blooms this year. I will make sure I capture all of its beauty to share here with you all. If you aren't yet convinced this tree peony belongs in your garden, perhaps the spring bloom pictures will do it. They say a picture is worth a thousand words...

2018 P. Rockii Peony Seedling Has 2 Buds in Second Year of Bloom

Paeonia rockii Seedling with 2 Buds
A Paeonia rockii seedling from a batch of seed I got in 2013 from Ebay, 2013 P. Rockii Peony Seeds from Cricket Hill Garden, has 2 buds on it. The rest of the seedlings from this batch of seed have yet to bloom. It had one bud and bloom on it last year in 2017, but I missed seeing it and photographing it until the flower was mostly gone. So I can't wait to see what it actually looks like this year. Considering this P. rockii tree peony is still growing in my peony seedling bed very close to its siblings and is still growing so well and so quickly, speaks very highly of its vigor. Hopefully I will get a chance to move it to a better home this fall, so that I can allow it to mature with more space for its roots to grow in. I will keep you posted on its flowers. Spring will be here before we know it!

2018 Early Peonies Pop, Is Spring Weather Here to Stay?

With the recent warm temperatures, bits of rain, and now sunshine today, the herbaceous peonies have started to pop this past week as well. Even though the temps have cooled back down a bit (we are now having highs in the 50s and 60s), the longer days and spring like weather are convincing the peonies that spring is here, although it's not quite yet time for the Vernal Equinox. Even though these temperatures are more "normal" for this time of year, I'm already missing those 70 degree days!
Herbaceous Peony 'Nova' Pops
Unlike the past few years, 2016 Very Early Peony 'Nova' Buds Emerge First, Peony 'Nova' has made it to March without any buds busted by freezing cold overnight temperatures. Let's hope it stays that way. Even though there weren't any freezing overnight temperatures in the 10 day weather forecast 5 days ago, it has now been updated, and I do now see a couple of nights with a forecast for 30 and 32 degree overnight temperatures. Let's hope they change the forecast again, and we don't get those freezing cold temperatures.

2018 Record High Temperatures Help Tree Peonies Unfurl in Feburary

Tree Peony 'Yao Huang' 姚黃 (Yao's Yellow)
Today was our last day of 70 degree temperatures. Next week we'll be back in the 60s and 50s for the high. However as you can see from our 5 Day Forecast that we had earlier, we've been enjoying about a week of 70 degree temperatures. We had 3 days with record breaking high temperatures this February, and we went from winter to spring in 1 week flat. Let's hope Mother Nature is a bit more kind this year than she has been in previous years with those late killing frosts, 2017 Protect Peonies from Super Cold Overnight Temps.
February 21 - 5 Day Forecast
I don't see any below freezing overnight temperatures in the upcoming 10 day forecast. So there may be a chance that winter really is over here for 2018. I think Sir Walter Wally (North Carolina's groundhog) may have been right this year about the early spring. I sure am hoping that spring is here to stay (since that will mean more peony blooms in the garden). If the cold weather is gone for the season, we won't lose any peony buds to bud blast from a late spring freeze. I can only dream of how nice the peonies will look in the garden since we haven't had late cold bud-blast free peony season in years!
Tree Peony 'Kamata-nishiki' 鎌田錦

2018 New Pricey Intersectional Peonies Debut at Swenson Gardens

I see that the Swenson Gardens 2018 catalog is now up, and in addition to their wide range of intersectional peony selections, they are also debuting several new pricey intersectional introductions registered in 2018 by Anderson / Swenson. I have updated my 2018 Intersectional Peony Catalog Price Comparison List with all of their intersectional peony offerings, if you'd like to compare their prices to other peony vendors. However none of these new Anderson / Swenson cultivars are available on any other peony grower's sites this year since they are brand new, and appear to be exclusive to Swenson Gardens.
New Exclusive Intersectional Peonies
The new intersectional peonies they are offering are: 'Peppermint Blush' a blush colored intersectional for $175, 'Predawn Beauty' a medium pink intersectional for $175, 'Purple Reign' a purple intersectional for $250, and 'Scarlet Heights' a red intersectional for $250. If big fluffly doubles are your thing these new intersectional intros may not be for you, since they are all single types. They do seem to have nice, clear colors, though. The purple one keeps calling my name, but I can't decide if it's worth the $250. It will probably be sold out by the time I make up my mind...

2018 Questions - Yard Regrading, Moving Peonies, Planting Distance, Puppies

I received this question from Karen in zone 7a:

"Hi. I transplanted some very old peonies that belonged to my grandmother last September. I had 3 plants that ended up being divided into 6. They were pretty much just stuck in the ground in a corner of the yard that will get lots of sun. This part of the yard is boggy after recent snow. My peonies are mulched. Builders will be regrading my yard for better drainage. Do I ask them to work around my peonies or should I move them? My yard is very small and there are not many options. This is distressing. They are over 100 yrs old!"

"I live in Richmond Va. It appears that most of my peonies are beginning to put out shoots! Landscapers came and suggested they be moved to a different location. I have seven total but a tiny lot. He wants to put only three in my main border and says they will not be happy if too close together. I want more in the border. I guess he knows what he is doing 😬? Can I send a sketch of his proposed layout? What is the closest I can put them together? I also would love suggestions on keeping my pups away from them!"

Peony Landscape Plan
Thank you for sending the drawing from your landscaper. It sounds like you've already made the decision to move the peonies, which is probably a good idea if they are in a boggy area of your yard now. I can't tell what the scale is of the landscaper's drawing, but since the planting bed appears to be as longer or longer than your patio, I'm guessing it is pretty large. How far apart you plant your peonies depends on how you want your peonies to look when they grow larger in a couple years. Do you want them all to merge into a long line/shrub border of peonies? Or do you want them to stay separate and individually defined in your beds? If you want them to merge, then you can plant them 2-3 feet apart. If you want them to stay separate, then 4 feet or more apart would be suitable. Go with your gut, if you want more in that border, then just say so.

As for keeping your pups away from them, I would suggest putting some tomato cages around them. You can buy the smallest size of tomato cages, and cut them down shorter (possibly making 2 peony cages from 1 tomato cage). Alternatively you can also special order peony cages that are already the correct size, but you'll find they are much more expensive. If you are really worried about your pups getting to the peonies, you can also wrap the cages in deer netting around the outside.

Good luck with your grandmother's 100 year old peonies! I'd love to see some photos of them when they bloom. Send me a few if you get a chance!

2018 Questions - Where to Buy Peonies Locally in NC or SC

I received this question from Roni in Zone 8a:

"Hi. My daughter lives in Wake Forest NC and I live in McColl SC. We are wondering where to buy good sized peonies. Any thoughts?"

I'm guessing by the question, you are looking to buy peonies in pots that are growing with foliage and perhaps even blooms. If this is the type of peony you are looking to buy, the best place to find these are at your local garden shops in spring. That way you can see what each plant looks like when it is growing (instead of buying a bare root). Sometimes you can find peony plants in pots that have been grown in the pot for more than 1 year, and are mature enough to have blooms. Also some companies (like Monrovia) will sell their peonies in even larger pots that are even more mature with many more blooms on them, like 2 gallon or even 5 gallon pots. Finding peonies to purchase locally does have its advantages. When you buy peonies locally you get to pick one out that already has blooms and/or lots of nice looking foliage. You also support local garden shops and the local economy. You are also expressing local demand for peonies. The more peonies local garden shops sell, the more they will carry and buy to sell next year, increasing your chances for more and newer varieties that will be locally-available in the future.


Buying Potted Peonies in Flower
Since NC is my home stomping ground, I can definitely recommend shop local garden shops here in Raleigh, NC. My favorite shops that I've seen and purchased potted peonies from are: Atlantic Gardening Company, where I purchased my current favorite peony, 2013 Monrovia Itoh Peony 'Keiko'™ 愛幕 (Adored), Homewood Nursery, who also donated peonies for the 2013 APS Peony Donation to JC Raulston Arboretum, Logan's, who helped promote the 2017 American Peony Society Convention in Raleigh, NC, and Plant Delights who hosted the APS Conference goers for a tour last year, 2017 American Peony Society Convention Tour of Plant Delights Nursery & Juniper Level Botanic Garden and I recently bought a tree peony from, 2017 Tree Peony Paeonia ostii at Plant Delights Nursery Open House, and offers quarterly open greenhouse weekends.

You should be able to find some local garden shops in your area (maybe Florence, SC or Fayetteville, NC) that carry peonies. Timing is key, however, to finding potted peonies and finding the best selection. You'll want to check/call your local garden shops in early April. If you wait until mid-May, there won't be much (if anything) left. Peonies with lots of buds and flowers will sell out first. If you wait too long, you may only find potted peonies with foliage. These flowerless potted peonies are still good to buy, but you will have to wait to see the blooms until next year or the year after, depending on how long it takes your peony to settle in to its new home. If you don't find any in your local area in SC, you might have a good excuse to come visit your daughter for a peony shopping trip in late April or early May. Once you've purchased your new peonies, make sure you plant them with they eyes at surface level. If you'd like more in depth tips about planting your peonies in the South, check our How To Page for lots more info on growing peonies! :-)

Also some of our readers may know of other local garden shops that sell potted peonies in the spring. If you know of a great, local nursery that sells peonies in the South, please post a comment and share it here!

2018 Peony 'Yellow Crown' on Front Cover of k. van Bourgondien Catalog

k. van Bourgondien Catalog Cover Spring 2018
Peony 'Yellow Crown'
It was nice to receive an 8X10 full color glossy catalog in the mail with a photo of a yellow intersectional peony on the front of it. I have ordered from k. van Bourgondien in the past, but have unsubscribed from their catalog. I guess they decided to send me one more, and when I received this one with its huge, yellow intersectional blooms on the front, I couldn't help but smile. I know that it may be a gamble to order from them, and the prices are temptingly low $35 each or 3 for $80 (for most varieties), but you may not get the varieties you are hoping for. If nothing else, hopefully this will get people more interested in peonies. Intersectional peonies are such great growers, even if we just get one mislabeled variety into the hands of more gardeners, it will pique their interest in peonies and make them hungry for more! Then hopefully we can point them in the direction of more reliable, direct from the peony farm growers. :-)
k. van Bourgondien Spring 2018
Intersectional Peony Offerings

2018 Technology in the Peony Garden

Today being the first day of February, and my dead peony stems having not been cut down yet, well, it seemed like the right day to do it. Spring will be here before we know it - no matter what Sir Walter Wally, the groundhog, says tomorrow. The weather man said that today's high of 59 would be the warmest day in the next 7 days. So it seemed like a great day to take advantage of the nice weather and get caught up on a gardening chore that I am exceptionally behind on. Being so behind, at first I just started to cut the stems to get it done as quickly as possible, intentionally skipping the recording of the number of peony stems, but then I had an idea...

Technology in the Peony Garden
Voice Dictated Memo Recording Peony Stem Counts
I decided to use my phone as a way to dictate the data, saving myself the trouble and time of printing out a chart, carrying a clipboard and pen into the garden, and taking the time between each plant to make the record (and trying to find my pen!) I once dreamed of bringing a tablet into the garden during my 2015 Peony Clipboard Data Entry, but now modern mobile phones are basically mini tablets. The smaller size made it even more convenient because I could just stow my phone in my pocket between clips, eliminating the need to carry and keep up with a tablet. Using the voice record feature in the Memo app, I just spoke all of my notes, and the phone typed them for me. Now that I've seen the light - the ease of using technology in the garden, I may never look back. Plus I'll be saving some trees and money in the process by eliminating the need for paper. It feels good all the way around. Have you used technology to help in the garden? If so, in what ways have you used technology in the garden and how has it helped you?

2018 OMG!!! We're Going to Luoyang China for the Biggest Peony Festival in the World!!

I have been waiting for this for a long time. I'm not sure how I got here, but I finally did! The travel is booked, the flight and the hotel. My whole family is going to visit Luoyang, China to take part in the biggest peony festival in the world!!! I am so excited. :-D Now I just need to get the documents in order, passports, visas, etc. My husband's parents are going to come from Shanghai to meet us there as well. I am really looking forward to everyone meeting together in such a beautiful and happy environment amongst all of the gorgeous peonies in bloom.
Peony Festival in Luoyang, China
Don't worry. I will bring you a complete review and of course lots of photos of all of the gardens I visit. There will be more tree peonies than I've ever seen before in one place, and this time they will be in bloom, unlike my trip to see 2013 Peonies in Beijing, Shanghai, and Suzhou China when they were all dormant. I can only imagine it now, and I will do my best to capture everything I can to memorialize and share all of the colorful peony blossoms with the everyone!

2018 Planting Peony Seeds (Late!) ((Again!!))

The peony seeds I planted today are pretty important seeds actually. I purchased them from the APS Seed Distribution Program last year, and some of them are seeds from a really great peony hybridizer that I just missed my opportunity to interview. I had spoken with him by phone just a few days before he passed, and I think he wasn't feeling well. He told me to call him back another time, but unfortunately that "another time" never came. His name was Bill Seidl, and I had the extreme pleasure of visiting his garden after the APS Convention in 2016, where I was able to meet him, hear a few of his stories, and collect 2016 Peony 'Dreamtime' Pollen from Bill Seidl's Garden.
Bill Seidl and Nate Bremer 2016
Some these seeds I ordered are also from Nate Bremer's garden since the seed packs start with "NB-" and appear to be hybrids of some of Bill's and Nate's introductions. I did have the pleasure of interviewing Nate in 2016, and you can read the results of that interview here, 2016 Peony Hybridizer Interview - Nate Bremer. I am very excited to plant these seeds from both of these very successful hybridizers that are helping to create future peony hybrids. In honor of both of them, I thought I'd share a photo of them together and a group photo we took in Bill's garden during my visit in 2016. Most of the seeds I ordered last year were hand pollinated by these two gentleman, for which I am very grateful.
APS Members in Bill Seidl's Garden 2016
So it looks like this is what I ended up with:

2017 APS Seeds
Dreamtime	5 seeds
Dreamtime X Seidl Super	5 seeds
Dreamtime X Vanilla Gorilla	5 seeds
Lemon Chiffon	12 seeds
NB-???? (Captain Kate X MRV-11)	5 seeds
NB-SH79 (Captain Kate X Angel Emily)	5 seeds
NB-SH82 (Angel Emily X MRV-11)	5 seeds
NB-SH88 (Rockii hybrid X Captain Kate)	6 seeds
NB-SH89 (MRV-11 X MRV-4)	5 seeds

Let's see what sprouts!!!

2018 5+ Inches of Snow on Southern Peonies!

5+ Inches of Snow
Well, I'm not sure how we went from 5+ inches of snow cover 4 days ago to no snow and temperatures in the 60s today and tomorrow, but that is definitely North Carolina winter weather for you. We are still experiencing a "Moderate Drought" period right now. So we can definitely use the moisture from the melted snow. I decided to take the opportunity during these couple of warmish days to plant some seeds that I didn't get a chance to plant this past fall. I know the germination rates will probably not be as good planting them now, as they would have been if I'd planted them in the fall, but hopefully they'll all still be okay. I took a small opportunity to get the peony seed garden markers ready for planting, and I am really excited about getting an extra chance to get these special peony seeds in the ground!
Peony Seed Garden Markers

2018 Herbaceous Hot 100 Peony Catalog Price Comparison List

I've been doing my Intersectional Peony Catalog Price Comparison Lists for a few years now. However this will be only the second year that I list some of the pricey herbaceous peonies that people might be interested in. There are several up and coming hot herbaceous peonies that tend to be around or above the $100 price range. Some of these peonies can be hard to find and acquire because their stock is so limited (and some are sold out already). So this list will give you a heads up of where you can find them and who has them priced for what. You can also check out last year's 2017 Herbaceous Hot 100 Peony Catalog Price Comparison List, if you want to know the exact prices for these peonies last year. Even if you don't want to spend that much on one peony (yet!), at least you can drool! Enjoy! (Also if you'd like your company to be listed here, please join the American Peony Society as a Commercial Member, since this is where I obtain my peony grower information.)

Varieties Offered	Peony Vendor	Price Change from Last Year
4	Adelman		some lower, some same
0	Blossom Hill		same
4	Brooks		some lower, some same
1	Cricket Hill		mostly lower
0	Fina		same
4	Hidden Springs		some lower, some same
21	Hollingsworth		mostly higher
0	Peony's Envy		same
4	Peony Shop Holland		some same, some higher
14	Solaris Farms		mostly lower, some higher
3	Song Sparrow		some lower, some same
4	Swenson		mostly same

Herbaceous Peony	Price	Vendor
Alexander Woollcott	$70.00	Adelman
Alexander Woollcott	$75.00	Hidden Springs
Bob	$125.00	Hidden Springs
Butterfly Kisses	$100.00	Swenson Gardens
Dark Promise	$90.00	Hollingsworth
Dreamtime	$130.00	Solaris Farms
Early Canary	$150.00	Hollingsworth
Faithful Dream	$200.00	Hollingsworth
Garden Gem	$150.00	Hollingsworth
Golden Angel	$90.00	Solaris Farms
Golden Wheel	$79.00	Cricket Hill
Heather	$350.00	Hollingsworth
Juliska	$75.00	Hidden Springs
Juliska	$75.00	Solaris Farms
K-Nina	$100.00	Hollingsworth
Kathy's Touch	$85.00	Brooks
Kathy's Touch	$100.00	Hollingsworth
Kayleigh Ann	$400.00	Hollingsworth
Lemon Chiffon	€27.00	Peony Shop Holland
Lemon Chiffon	$75.00	Brooks
Lemon Chiffon	$75.00	Hidden Springs
Lemon Chiffon	$75.00	Solaris Farms
Lemon Chiffon	$80.00	Hollingsworth
Lemon Chiffon	$85.00	Adelman
Lemon Chiffon	$125.99	Song Sparrow
Liberator	$75.00	Swenson Gardens
Little Corporal	$120.00	Solaris Farms
Little Jeanne	$75.00	Solaris Farms
Lois' Choice	$85.00	Brooks
Lois' Choice	$90.00	Adelman
Lois' Choice	$90.00	Hollingsworth
Major Steve	$200.00	Hollingsworth
Melissa	$150.00	Swenson Gardens
Nelda's Joy	$150.00	Hollingsworth
Old Soldier	$80.00	Solaris Farms
Paeonia tenufolia rosea 'Kinlen'	$150.00	Solaris Farms
Pastelegance	$199.00	Adelman
Pastelegance	$200.00	Hollingsworth
Pastelegance	€200.00	Peony Shop Holland
Pastelegance	$200.00	Solaris Farms
Pastelorama	$180.00	Solaris Farms
Pastelorama	$400.00	Hollingsworth
Peachy Rose	$85.00	Brooks
Pearled Lemon Cream	$100.00	Song Sparrow
Pretty in Pink	$70.00	Hollingsworth
Pink Bubbles	$100.00	Hollingsworth
Quitzin	€75.00	Peony Shop Holland
Quitzin	$300.00	Hollingsworth
Red Hot Babe	$90.00	Solaris Farms
Solara	$250.00	Solaris Farms
Stephen E Ambrose	$250.00	Swenson Gardens
Summer Glow	$90.00	Hollingsworth
The Natural	$100.00	Song Sparrow
Tropicana	$70.00	Solaris Farms
Tropicana	$140.00	Hollingsworth
Vanilla Schnapps	$115.00	Solaris Farms
Vanilla Schnapps	€225.00	Peony Shop Holland
Virginia Emerson	$100.00	Hollingsworth
William E. B. Du Bois	$80.00	Hollingsworth

2018 Intersectional Peony Catalog Price Comparison List

The new year is upon us, and so is yet another white layer of winter weather. What better time to spend the snow day than creating my annual Intersectional Peony Price List? The online peony catalogs are coming online, but they are not all out yet. The vendors who don't have their lists up yet still have a line through them. I'll update this information as more online peony catalogs are updated and become available. If you'd like to compare this year's prices to last year's prices, here's a link to my 2017 Intersectional Peony Catalog Price Comparison List Enjoy! (Also if you'd like your company to be listed here, please join the American Peony Society as a Commercial Member, since this is where I obtain my peony grower information.)

Varieties Offered	Peony Vendor	Price Change from Last Year
38	Adelman		mostly same or lower
0	Birchwood		same
0	Blossom Hill		same
20	Brooks		mixed same, lower, & higher
7	Cricket Hill		mostly same
11	Fina		mixed same, lower, & higher
16	Hidden Springs		mostly lower or same
9	Hollingsworth		mostly higher
7	Peony's Envy		mostly same
29	Peony Shop Holland		mostly lower
34	Solaris Farms		mostly same or lower
14	Song Sparrow		mixed higher, lower, & same
31	Swenson		mostly lower or same

Intersectional Peony	Price	Vendor
Al's Choice	$75.00	Swenson
Al's Choice	$85.00	Brooks
Anderson's Kaleidoscope	€35.00	Peony Shop Holland
Anderson's Kaleidoscope	$50.00	Swenson
(Anderson's) Kaleidoscope	$80.00	Brooks
Ballarena de Saval	$65.00	Adelman
Bartzella	€11.00	Peony Shop Holland
Bartzella	$40.00	Solaris Farms
Bartzella	$49.95	Hidden Springs
Bartzella	$50.00	Brooks
Bartzella	$58.00	Fina
Bartzella	$60.00	Adelman
Bartzella	$60.00	Swenson
Bartzella	$70.00	Hollingsworth
Bartzella	$75.00	Song Sparrow
Bartzella	$79.00	Peony's Envy
Bartzella	$89.00	Cricket Hill
Berry Garcia	$95.00	Brooks
Border Charm	€11.00	Peony Shop Holland
Border Charm	$40.00	Adelman
Border Charm	$40.00	Swenson
Border Charm	$60.00	Song Sparrow
Callie's Memory	€11.00	Peony Shop Holland
Callie's Memory	$35.00	Solaris Farms
Callie's Memory	$50.00	Swenson
Callie's Memory	$70.00	Brooks
Canary Brilliants	€15.00	Peony Shop Holland
Canary Brilliants	$50.00	Solaris Farms
Canary Brilliants	$55.00	Adelman
Canary Brilliants	$60.00	Brooks
Canary Brilliants	$60.00	Swenson
Canary Brilliants	$79.00	Peony's Envy
Canary Brilliants	$89.00	Cricket Hill
Candy Cane	$90.00	Solaris Farms
Chief Black Hawk	€125.00	Peony Shop Holland
Chief Black Hawk	$175.00	Brooks
Chief Black Hawk	$175.00	Swenson
Cora Louise	$59.95	Hidden Springs
Cora Louise	$60.00	Adelman
Cora Louise	$60.00	Brooks
Cora Louise	$60.00	Hollingsworth
Cora Louise	$60.00	Swenson
Cora Louise	$70.00	Solaris Farms
Cora Louise	$79.00	Peony's Envy
Cora Louise	$80.00	Song Sparrow
Cora Louise	$89.00	Cricket Hill
Court Jester	$40.00	Swenson
First Arrival	$40.00	Solaris Farms
First Arrival	$49.95	Hidden Springs
First Arrival	$57.00	Fina
First Arrival	$60.00	Hollingsworth
First Arrival	$60.00	Swenson
First Arrival	$60.00	Adelman
First Arrival	$79.00	Peony's Envy
First Arrival	$89.00	Cricket Hill
First Arrival	$150.00	Song Sparrow
Garden Treasure	€11.00	Peony Shop Holland
Garden Treasure	$40.00	Solaris Farms
Garden Treasure	$40.00	Swenson
Garden Treasure	$49.95	Hidden Springs
Garden Treasure	$52.00	Fina
Garden Treasure	$60.00	Adelman
Garden Treasure	$60.00	Brooks
Garden Treasure	$70.00	Hollingsworth
Garden Treasure	$79.00	Peony's Envy
Garden Treasure	$85.00	Song Sparrow
Garden Treasure	$89.00	Cricket Hill
Going Bananas	€25.00	Peony Shop Holland
Going Bananas	$40.00	Adelman
Going Bananas	$40.00	Swenson
Going Bananas	$110.00	Song Sparrow
Gordon E. Simonson	$150.00	Solaris Farms
Gordon E. Simonson	$175.00	Swenson
Gordon E. Simonson	$200.00	Hollingsworth
Gordon E. Simonson	$225.00	Adelman
Gordon E. Simonson	€300.00	Peony Shop Holland
Hidden Treasure	$35.00	Solaris Farms
Hidden Treasure	$44.95	Hidden Springs
Hillary	€13.00	Peony Shop Holland
Hillary	$40.00	Solaris Farms
Hillary	$49.95	Hidden Springs
Hillary	$50.00	Adelman
Hillary	$50.00	Swenson
Hillary	$55.00	Brooks
Hillary	$55.00	Fina
Hillary	$60.00	Hollingsworth
Hillary	$95.00	Song Sparrow
Japanese Itoh (Unknown Yelllow)	$40.00	Swenson
Joanna Marlene	€40.00	Peony Shop Holland
Joanna Marlene	$70.00	Swenson
Joanna Marlene	$75.00	Fina
Joanna Marlene	$75.00	Solaris Farms
Joanna Marlene	$80.00	Adelman
Julia Rose	€10.00	Peony Shop Holland
Julia Rose	$45.00	Solaris Farms
Julia Rose	$50.00	Swenson
Julia Rose	$54.00	Fina
Julia Rose	$75.00	Adelman
Julia Rose	$75.00	Brooks
Julia Rose	$79.00	Peony's Envy
Julia Rose	$85.00	Song Sparrow
Julia Rose	$89.00	Cricket Hill
(Copper) Kopper Kettle	€75.00	Peony Shop Holland
(Copper) Kopper Kettle	$84.95	Hidden Springs
Kopper Kettle	$99.00	Adelman
Kopper Kettle	$100.00	Swenson
Lemon Dream	$35.00	Adelman
Lemon Dream	$40.00	Swenson
Lemon Dream	$45.00	Fina
Lemon Dream	$45.00	Solaris Farms
Lemon Dream	$55.00	Brooks
Little Darlin'	€25.00	Peony Shop Holland
Little Darlin'	$60.00	Song Sparrow
Lollipop	$44.95	Hidden Springs
Lollipop	$45.00	Solaris Farms
Love Affair	€75.00	Peony Shop Holland
Love Affair	$125.00	Adelman
Love Affair	$150.00	Solaris Farms
Love Affair	$170.00	Hollingsworth
Lunar Glow	$100.00	Adelman
Luxuriant	$150.00	Brooks
Magical Mystery Tour	$75.00	Solaris Farms
Mock Orange Yellow	$50.00	Solaris Farms
Momo Taro (Peach Boy)	$75.00	Solaris Farms
Morning Lilac	$64.00	Fina
Morning Lilac	$65.00	Adelman
New Millennium	$120.00	Solaris Farms
New Millennium	$125.00	Swenson
New Millennium	$165.00	Adelman
New Millennium	$180.00	Hollingsworth
Old Rose Dandy	€13.00	Peony Shop Holland
Old Rose Dandy	$35.00	Brooks
Old Rose Dandy	$40.00	Adelman
Old Rose Dandy	$40.00	Solaris Farms
Old Rose Dandy	$40.00	Swenson
Old Rose Dandy	$44.95	Hidden Springs
Oriental Gold	$119.00	Cricket Hill
Pastel Splendor	$35.00	Solaris Farms
Pastel Splendor	$40.00	Swenson
Pastel Splendor	$45.00	Brooks
Pastel Splendor	$42.00	Fina
Pastel Splendor	$45.00	Adelman
Pastel Splendor	$44.95	Hidden Springs
Pastel Splendor	$75.00	Song Sparrow
Peppermint Blush	$175.00	Swenson
Pink Double Dandy	$85.00	Song Sparrow
Prairie Charm	€11.00	Peony Shop Holland
Prairie Charm	$40.00	Swenson
Prairie Charm	$44.00	Hollingsworth
Prairie Charm	$44.95	Hidden Springs
Prairie Charm	$95.00	Song Sparrow
Predawn Beauty	$175.00	Swenson
Purple Reign	$250.00	Swenson
Rosy Prospects	€40.00	Peony Shop Holland
Rosy Prospects	$45.00	Adelman
Rosy Prospects	$100.00	Swenson
Royal Blush	€75.00	Peony Shop Holland
Royal Blush	$100.00	Swenson
Scarlet Heaven	€11.00	Peony Shop Holland
Scarlet Heaven	$35.00	Solaris Farms
Scarlet Heaven	$40.00	Adelman
Scarlet Heaven	$50.00	Brooks
Scarlet Heaven	$79.00	Peony's Envy
Scarlet Heights	$250.00	Swenson
Sequestered Sunshine	$48.00	Fina
Sequestered Sunshine	$95.00	Brooks
Sequestered Sunshine	$125.00	Song Sparrow
Singing in the Rain	$60.00	Solaris Farms
Singing in the Rain	$85.00	Brooks
Smith Family Yellow	$99.00	Adelman
Sonoma Amethyst	€30.00	Peony Shop Holland
Sonoma Amethyst	$65.00	Adelman
Sonoma Amethyst	$65.00	Fina
Sonoma Apricot	€30.00	Peony Shop Holland
Sonoma Apricot	$45.00	Solaris Farms
Sonoma Apricot	$49.95	Hidden Springs
Sonoma Apricot	$80.00	Adelman
Sonoma Blessing	$75.00	Solaris Farms
Sonoma Blessing	$80.00	Adelman
Sonoma By the Bay	$135.00	Hidden Springs
Sonoma By the Bay	$135.00	Solaris Farms
Sonoma Floozy	$65.00	Adelman
Sonoma Halo	$250.00	Solaris Farms
Sonoma Halo	$350.00	Adelman
Sonoma Halo	€400.00	Peony Shop Holland
Sonoma Lavender Fancy	$50.00	Adelman
Sonoma Rosy Future	$80.00	Solaris Farms
Sonoma Rosy Future	$84.95	Hidden Springs
Sonoma Rosy Future	$125.00	Adelman
Sonoma Sun	€30.00	Peony Shop Holland
Sonoma Sun	$45.00	Adelman
Sonoma Surprise	$150.00	Adelman
Sonoma Velvet Ruby	€30.00	Peony Shop Holland
Sonoma Velvet Ruby	$35.00	Adelman
Sonoma Velvet Ruby	$60.00	Solaris Farms
Sonoma Welcome	€30.00	Peony Shop Holland
Sonoma Welcome	$65.00	Adelman
Sonoma Yedo	$250.00	Solaris Farms
Sonoma Yedo	$350.00	Adelman
Unique	€30.00	Peony Shop Holland
Unique	$55.00	Adelman
Unique	$55.00	Brooks
Unique	$50.00	Solaris Farms
Viking Full Moon	€15.00	Peony Shop Holland
Viking Full Moon	$40.00	Solaris Farms
Viking Full Moon	$44.95	Hidden Springs
Viking Full Moon	$45.00	Adelman
Watermelon Wine	€50.00	Peony Shop Holland
Watermelon Wine	$99.00	Adelman
Watermelon Wine	$100.00	Swenson
White Emperor	$100.00	Swenson
Yankee Doodle Dandy	$85.00	Song Sparrow
Yellow Crown	$35.00	Solaris Farms
Yellow Crown	$44.95	Hidden Springs
Yellow Dream	$65.00	Brooks
Yellow Emperor	$35.00	Solaris Farms

2018 First Peony Order of the New Year

I did it! I went ahead and hit the order button on my first peony order of 2018! I took a quick peek at Solaris Farm's 2018 catalog, and I couldn't resist placing an order for Don Smith's Intersectional Peony 'Magical Mystery Tour' (and Intersectional Peony 'Mock Orange Yellow', while I was at it). I had actually ordered this peony, Intersectional Peony 'Magical Mystery Tour', almost 2 years ago from Select Plus in Canada, but they apparently stopped filling orders and shut down before my order ever shipped. At least I have the chance to order it again now. If only I could find a source for Don Smith's Intersectional Peony 'Scrumdidleyumptious' as well. That one looks awesome to me too. I guess it is that time of year for me to start working on my Intersectional Peony Price List. However if you are looking for a particular variety that may be limited, I would recommend you start looking around for it now, as many highly sought-after varieties will set out quickly. Good luck!!
Solaris Farm's Intersectional Peony Catalog