2020 Cutting Back Peonies with a Brown Garden... Snake?

Cutting Back Peonies in January
Yes, you read that right. I am cutting back my peonies in January. I know, I know, late again. Oh, what's that about a snake? Yes, you read that right too! While I was out in the garden today cutting back my desicated peony stems, I had a visitor join me in my peony garden - a brown garden snake. I wondered if he was a poisonous snake or just a harmless garden snake. He didn't look like any of the poisonous snakes around here - no copper head, no rattle, no triangle shaped head, and he was baby size. So I picked him up for a minute and took a good look at him, while he tasted my scent with his tongue. He didn't try to attack me, and I didn't try to hurt him either. I just set him back down. He slithered around as I cut peonies all around him, moving out of my way when I got close.


Cutting Back Peonies in January with a Snake!

Brown Garden Snake
It was kind of neat to have a companion for a little while in the garden, and nice to let him just be. I felt a little worried about him because he appeared to have a boo-boo on his tummy. I hope he'll be okay and get to live. I didn't finish with all of the peony cleanup today. I only got one peony bed cleanup finished and started on one more peony bed. So there's still a lot left to do. Maybe I'll see him out in the garden again the next time I'm out there. Hope he finds a warm place to sleep!


I Got to Hold Him

And I Put Him Back

2020 Adelman Offers Peony 'Greenland' for $75.00!

Adelman Peony Gardens Offers Peony 'Greenland' for $75.00!
I was excited to see this Peony 'Greenland' offered at Adelman Peony Gardens this year. I know I have seen this one before, but I haven't seen it offered for sale (at least not since I've been doing my Herbaceous Hot 100 Peony Price Lists). So Peony 'Greenland' finally made it onto my 2020 Southern Peony Herbaceous Hot 100 Peony Price List this year at $75, which I think is a steal. This peony was hybridized by Roy Pehrson, and Peony 'Roy Pehrson's Best Yellow' does phenomenally in my garden. So I'm really excited to see how this Peony 'Greenland' might perform. It gets the "Green" part of its name because the petals are supposed to be a bit greenish colored when first starting to open. So I am really excited to see that too, since I don't have any other "green" peonies in my garden! If you're looking for something unique to add to your garden this year, this peony might just be it!

2020 Swenson Gardens Offers 30 Hot 100 Herbaceous Peonies!

Swenson Gardens Offers 30 Hot 100 Herbaceous Peonies!
I'm not sure if I can afford any of them, but Swenson Gardens is offering 30 Hot 100 Herbaceous Peony Varieties this year! Check out our Southern Peony Herbaceous Hot 100 Peony Price List to see all of 30 their varieties offered (along with their prices)! The photo above is just a sampling of their offering. Check out the Swenson Gardens web site to see the photos for all of their offerings. These hot herbaceous peonies range in price from $50 to $1000. Yes, I said $1000! I'm not sure I've ever seen a single peony root offered for $1000.00 before, but now I have!


Swenson Gardens Offers Peony 'Red Lacquer' for $1000.00!
The single peony root that is being offered for $1000 is not a new introduction either. Apparently, it must be a rare Saunders hybrid, Peony 'Red Lacquer'. I had not heard of this variety before, but it is registered with the APS. However they do not yet have a photo of it in their registry. So I guess it must be rare. I like to collect Saunders' peonies myself. (I have a separate garden bed dedicated to Saunders peonies.) But I don't like to collect them that much ($1000 per root). I'm sure there are people out there that do and will pay that much, though. So if that someone might be you, I would advise quick action to reserve one of them, as I'm sure they'll be sold out soon!

2020 Song Sparrow Offers Peony 'Golden Angel' for $36 (from $125)

Song Sparrow Offers 'Golden Angel' for $36 (from $125)
I really can't believe this one! I'm thinking this really must be a price mistake. I would go ahead and order one right away just in case. I don't know if you've seen the 2020 Southern Peony Herbaceous Hot 100 Price List yet or not, but... Song Sparrow dropped the price of Peony 'Golden Angel' from $125 last year to $36 this year. I'm not sure if they are just getting rid of this variety or what, but this is an awesome price for this peony! I don't grow this one yet, but I have been wanting it for a long, long time. THE best thing about this peony is its Foliage! Check out the photos of how it goes from a bright orange to super yellow, to neon yellow green! I have already ordered one myself from Song Sparrow and can't wait to see it in action!! I hope you can snag one too!

2020 Herbaceous Hot 100 Peony Catalog Price Comparison List

I've been doing my Intersectional Peony Catalog Price Comparison Lists for 8 years now. This will be the 4th 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 2019 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.)

Herbaceous Hot 100 Peony Price List
Peony 'Dreamtime'
I am missing a few prices from Hidden Springs Flower Farm this year since I didn't have a chance to collect it right away. If anyone ordered any of the sold out varieties, please email me or leave a comment to let me know what the price(s) were, and I will update the list.

Varieties Offered	Peony Vendor	Price Change from Last Year
7	Adelman		mostly lower or same
0	Blossom Hill		same
6	Brooks		mixed, lower, same, & higher
1	Cricket Hill		same
0	Fina		same
5	Hidden Springs		same
27	Hollingsworth		mostly lower
3	Oh My Peonies		same
0	Peony's Envy		same
14	Peony Shop Holland		lower or same
20	Solaris Farms		many higher, many lower
2	Song Sparrow		lower
30	Swenson		mixed, lower, same, & higher

Herbaceous Peony	Price	Vendor
Angela Jo	$450.00	Hollingsworth
Anna	$400.00	Hollingsworth
Alexander Woollcott	$70.00	Adelman
Bethie	$300.00	Hollingsworth
Blood Moon	$375.00	Solaris Farms
Blushing Princess	€75.00	Peony Shop Holland
Butterfly Kisses	$75.00	Swenson
Bob	$?.00	Hidden Springs
Calliope	$300.00	Solaris Farms
Cherry Bomb	$500.00	Solaris Farms
Colonel Owen Cousins	€75.00	Peony Shop Holland
Colonel Owen Cousins	$100.00	Brooks
Dreamtime	$130.00	Hollingsworth
Dreamtime	$140.00	Solaris Farms
Early Canary	$100.00	Hollingsworth
Early Canary	$?.00	Hidden Springs
Early Windflower	$75.00	Hidden Springs
Edna's Wish	$550.00	Hollingsworth
Elise McKenna	$400.00	Hollingsworth
Elizabeth Black	$550.00	Solaris Farms
Europa	$375.00	Solaris Farms
Faithful Dream	$120.00	Hollingsworth
Faithful Dream	$200.00	Oh My Peonies
Faithful Dream	€350.00	Peony Shop Holland
Fire Bomb	$150.00	Swenson
Garden Gem	$70.00	Hollingsworth
Gena Marie	$300.00	Hollingsworth
Golden Angel	$36.00	Hollingsworth
Golden Angel	$36.00	Song Sparrow
Golden Wheel	$79.00	Cricket Hill
Greenland	$75.00	Adelman
Kathy's Touch	$70.00	Hollingsworth
Kathy's Touch	$75.00	Brooks
Kayleigh Ann	$240.00	Hollingsworth
Kayleigh Ann	€600.00	Peony Shop Holland
Kim	$450.00	Solaris Farms
KimSue	$200.00	Hollingsworth
Lavender	$110.00	Brooks
Lemon Chiffon	€24.00	Peony Shop Holland
Lemon Chiffon	$50.00	Brooks
Lemon Chiffon	$50.00	Swenson
Lemon Chiffon	$60.00	Solaris Farms
Lemon Chiffon	$60.00	Song Sparrow
Lemon Chiffon	$70.00	Hollingsworth
Lemon Chiffon	$75.00	Adelman
Lemon Hayes	€400.00	Peony Shop Holland
Little Corporal	€100.00	Peony Shop Holland
Little Corporal	$180.00	Solaris Farms
Little Dorrit	$150.00	Brooks
Little Dorrit	$300.00	Swenson
Lois' Choice	$84.00	Hollingsworth
Lois' Choice	$85.00	Brooks
Lois' Choice	$120.00	Adelman
Majesty's Splendor	€350.00	Peony Shop Holland
Manitowoc Maiden	$125.00	Solaris Farms
Melissa	$150.00	Hollingsworth
Mystic Pink	$400.00	Oh My Peonies
Necromancer	$85.00	Solaris Farms
Nelda's Joy	$175.00	Brooks
New Dimension	$200.00	Hollingsworth
Old Soldier	$95.00	Solaris Farms
Paeonia tenuifolia rosea 'Kinlen'	$150.00	Solaris Farms
Pastelegance	$140.00	Hollingsworth
Pastelegance	$150.00	Swenson
Pastelegance	$170.00	Solaris Farms
Pastelegance	$185.00	Adelman
Pastelegance	$199.00	Oh My Peonies
Pastelorama	$180.00	Solaris Farms
Pastelorama	$200.00	Hollingsworth
Pastelorama	€350.00	Peony Shop Holland
Red Laquer	$1000.00	Swenson
Roger's Delight	$750.00	Swenson
Roger's Prize	$500.00	Swenson
Romantic Blush	$450.00	Hidden Springs
Romantic Elegance	$350.00	Hidden Springs
Queen of Diamonds	$500.00	Solaris Farms
Quitzin	€60.00	Peony Shop Holland
Quitzin	$110.00	Hollingsworth
Sky Dance	$300.00	Hollingsworth
Sky Dance	$375.00	Solaris Farms
Solara	$200.00	Solaris Farms
Stephen E Ambrose	$400.00	Swenson
Summer Glow	$70.00	Adelman
Summer Glow	$90.00	Hollingsworth
Sunny Boy	$225.00	Solaris Farms
Sunny Boy	$250.00	Hollingsworth
Sunny Girl	€21.00	Peony Shop Holland
Sweet Lemonade	$180.00	Adelman
Tropicana	$60.00	Hollingsworth
Tropicana	$60.00	Solaris Farms
Triphena Parkin	€400.00	Peony Shop Holland
Vanilla Schnapps	$100.00	Hollingsworth
Vanilla Schnapps	$100.00	Solaris Farms
Vanilla Schnapps	€150.00	Peony Shop Holland
Viking Valor	€75.00	Peony Shop Holland
Virginia Emerson	$90.00	Hollingsworth
Wonderous Awakening	$100.00	Swenson
Wonderous Canvas	$150.00	Swenson
Wonderous Creation	$200.00	Swenson
Wonderous Cup	$100.00	Swenson
Wonderous Design	$200.00	Swenson
Wonderous Event	$100.00	Swenson
Wonderous Glory	$200.00	Swenson
Wonderous Harmony	$100.00	Swenson
Wonderous Home	$100.00	Swenson
Wonderous Light	$100.00	Swenson
Wonderous Palette	$300.00	Swenson
Wonderous Pink	$200.00	Swenson
Wonderous Ruffles	$150.00	Swenson
Wonderous Shine	$300.00	Swenson
Wonderous Song	$200.00	Swenson
Wonderous Spectacle	$200.00	Swenson
Wonderous Spirit	$150.00	Swenson
Wonderous Sun	$200.00	Swenson
Wonderous Top	$150.00	Swenson
Wonderous Vision	$100.00	Swenson
Wonderous Works	$200.00	Swenson
Wonderous Yellow	$200.00	Swenson