2015 Collect Early Peony Seeds

Collect Early Peony Seeds
I can't believe it's already that time of year! Several of my peony's seed pods have ripened and popped open. There are many more varieties that are still ripening and haven't opened yet. However now's the time to collect the seeds that are ready so you don't lose them. They could easily be lost by getting eaten, or just falling to the ground and getting swept away by wind or rain. All you really need to collect seeds are a few bags for the seeds and a marker to write the peony variety name on each bag.
Seed Pod of Peony 'Strawberry Wine'
Also now is a great time to start collecting seeds for the American Peony Society Seed Distribution Program. If you don't plan to grow all or any of your seeds, you can donate them to the American Peony Society. Also as a bonus, donors get free seeds for every two varieties of peony seed they donate. So now is the time to start collecting as many different varieties as possible for donation. People who don't have any peony seed to donate, but would like to try growing peonies from seed, can also purchase seed from this program. :)
Seed Pod of Peony 'Roy Pehrson's Best Yellow'

2015 Saunders Peony Varieties Frozen Bud Blast

Since I have a separate garden dedicated specifically to peony varieties hybridized by Professor A. P. Saunders, it was easily apparent to me that several of these varieties suffered from bud blast due to the late freeze we received in March of this year. Earlier this year I documented how my Early Peonies Suffered Frozen Bud Blast. Now that I have collected some more specific data on bud counts, I wanted to share those findings too. Most of these very early and early blooming Saunders peonies suffered some bud damage fromt the late freeze. However there were a couple varieties that came through unscathed. I have several Saunders peonies that are still a bit immature and or recovering from being divided. So I've chosen not to include all of the Saunders peonies I grow in this table.

Saunders Peonies with Buds Blasted by Late Freeze
Peony Variety	Buds Blasted	Total Buds	Blast Rate
Peony 'Halcyon'	2	2	100%
Peony 'Honor'	6	6	100%
Peony 'May Music'	5	5	100%
Peony 'Nova'	2	2	100%
Peony 'Paladin'	6	6	100%
Peony 'Winterthur'	3	3	100%
Peony 'Lustrous'	8	9	89%
Peony 'Horizon'	4	5	80%
Peony 'Firelight'	6	8	75%
Peony 'Early White'	1	2	50%
Peony 'Lavender'	2	4	50%
Peony 'Sweet May'	4	8	50%
Peony 'Garden Peace'	7	15	47%
Peony 'Lovely Rose'	3	10	30%

There were a few Saunders peonies whose buds werent' affected by the late freeze at all. So if your area regularly encounters late freezes, and you'd like to grow some early blooming peony varieties, these are the Saunders peonies I'd recommend.

Peony 'Grace Root'	Peony 'Great Lady'	Peony 'Rose Garland'

Saunders Peonies Unaffected by Late Freeze
Peony Variety	Buds Blasted	Total Buds	Blast Rate
Peony 'Grace Root'	0	9	0%
Peony 'Great Lady'	0	3	0%
Peony 'Rose Garland'	0	5	0%

2015 How to Deadhead an Intersectional Peony

Deadheading your intersectional peonies is really a personal preference. I actually prefer to leave the seedpods on my intersectional peonies. The seedpods actually provide some additional interest and height on the bush. Since intersectional peonies do not actually form seeds 99% of the time, the plant is not wasting any energy creating seeds if you leave them on. On the flip side since there not any seeds being created, you don't have to leave them on for seed production. Also some gardeners may find the bush more aesthetically pleasing without them. So this guide is intended to help all of the intersectional peony pruners out there. The method to Deadhead an intersectional peony is not too different from the method of How to Deadhead an Herbaceous Peony.
Intersectional Peony 'Pastel Splendor' with Seedpods
Deadheading is the process of removing the spent bloom heads from your peony plant. To start this process you'll want to have your favorite pair of pruners and a trash bag handy for deadheading. Since it is not a good idea to compost your peony clippings due to fungal blight concerns, you will want to throw away the seedpods after pruning them from the peony bush. When you prune the seedpods from the plant, you'll actually cut off a portion of the stem. This portion of the stem can definitely carry fungal spores in the stem tissue. So put the seedpods in your trash bag after you've removed them.
Intersectional Peony Seedpods Remain After Flowering

Intersectional Peony Seedpod
Take a look at the seedpod you'd like to remove first. If you follow the stem down to the first leaf junction, you'll find the point where you'll want to prune your plant. You'll want to make your cut just above the leaf junction to trim the stem down to this point, while preserving as much of the foliage as possible. After you make the cut, collect your deadheaded seed pod and put it in your trash bag. Simply repeat this process for each seedpod on your peony plant until you have removed all of them.
Pruning Intersectional Peony Seedpod
After pruning your intersectional peony, the plant will appear a little cleaner, and a little greener. Now is a good time to add a slow release organic fertilizer or composted cow manure around the drip line of your peony plants. Slow release, organic nutrients will be available throughout the season for your peonies, even into the fall when they are storing energy and nutrients to produce next year's blooms.
Intersectional Peony After Pruning
Also if you have any extended periods of drought over the summer, you will want to give your peonies some additional water to keep the foliage from wilting. Peonies are tough plants, and they can definitely withstand some drought. Mine have several years, but the plants will be healthier with some added water. That's it. Sit back, enjoy the green, and start dreaming about how many big beautiful blooms you'll have next year!
Intersectional Peony 'Pastel Splendor' after Deadheading

2015 Summer Peony Order - Solaris Farms

It's a little tricky to navigate their catalog, but if you can get your order in, it's well worth it. I ordered a rockii Tree Peony 'Angel Emily' from them last year, and it is doing very well this year. It has grown quite a bit, and the foliage is a beautiful green with no blight. I can't wait to see it's flowers! This year I ordered Intersectional Peony 'Momo Taro'. I haven't seen this one offered anywhere else. It says it is an unregistered seedling. I am curious to see how this intersectional peony grows and flowers. Its description says is supposed to be a good landscaping plant. I think I mostly ordered it for the name (and maybe the color too). Momo Taro means Peach Boy in Japanese. I went to a local Japanese festival here a few years ago, and they had a storyteller that actually told this story. Momo Taro is a well know Japanese children's story, and the storyteller was very good at telling it. So the peony's name actually brings back a happy memory for me. :-) I also ordered rockii Tree Peony 'Lavender Hill'. Since purple is one of my favorite colors, I am excited to try to use this one for hybridizing in the future since the description says it is fertile both ways. If you haven't gotten your peony order in yet for fall shipment, time is running short. Check your favorite peony vendor's inventory for availability for fall shipment!
Solaris Farms Summer Peony Order

2015 New Hot Pink Double in Peony Seedling Test Bed

There did turn out to be one interesting peony blooming in my peony seedling bed this year. It was a bomb looking double hot pink peony. My recent experience tells me that the bloom form of a peony seedling may change as the plants matures. So next year the bloom form could be totally double. I have flagged this plant to be moved to my other less crowded peony seedling bed for closer inspection and monitoring. I plan to move this peony in the fall after the foliage has gone dormant so as not to disturb the plant too much.

Hot Pink Bomb Double Peony Seedling

Hot Pink Bomb Double Peony Seedling in Peony Seedling Bed
Some other things I noticed about this peony that interest me are the presence of size buds. There were three buds on one stem, one main bud and two side buds. These side buds opened in succession after the main bud, which extended the plant's bloom period. Also this peony appears to be a late bloomer. Take a look at the photo above, and you can see all the buds opened nicely without any late season sun and heat damage. This is a great feature for late season peonies that are going to be grown in the South since some late season bloomers here sustain damage to the blooms that prevent them from opening fully.
Hot Pink Bomb Double Peony Seedling Still Blooming
After All Other Peony Seedlings Done Blooming


Hot Pink Bomb Double Peony Seedling
Side Buds Still Blooming Late in the Season
The only drawback to this peony I see so far is that the stem was bent in half, and although all of the buds still opened, they were upside down. I'm not sure if the lack of stem strength is due to all of the competition with the other seedlings in my peony seedling bed (my peony seedling bed is quite crowded) or perhaps because it is at the back of the bed near the woods, and it is reaching for the sun. Either way by moving this peony and observing it separately, I will be able to discern its true habit. Hopefully it will stand up when it is on its own. :-)

2015 New Peony Bloom Color Classifications

Intersectional Peony Misaka 美 (Beautiful Blossom) - Smith Opus 1 Day 2	Intersectional Peony Misaka 美 (Beautiful Blossom) - Smith Opus 1 Day 2

I did get a few new peony bloom color classifications this year. I try to classify the bloom colors of my peonies using the RHS Colour Chart each year, and I conglomerate this information on my Colors page. Some of the new peony bloom color classification I got this year were for Peony 'Prairie Moon' - Light Yellow Green 2C, Peony 'Unique' - Dark Purple Red 185B, and Peony 'Lafayette Escadrille' - Purple Red N57A. I also got some new peony bloom classifications for a few peonies that bloomed for the first time for me this year. I wasn't really sure which category they fit into best. So I recorded a choice of two. I will monitor these peonies' blooms again next year to verify the colors on the second year, and make sure I am able to classify them on the first day the bloom opens. The peonies I will monitor the bloom color again on next year are Peony 'New Millennium' - Dark Pink Red 52A or 50B, Peony 'Old Rose Dandy' - Orange Red 39B or 37A, and Peony 'Misaka' - Light Orange 26D or Light Yellow Orange 19B. I am particularly excited about Peony Misaka since no matter which color classification it ends up under, it will represent a brand new color category for my peony garden, a light orange!

Light Orange 26D	Light Yellow Orange 19B

2015 Peony Companion Plants Japanese Iris

Peony Keiko 愛幕 (Adored) and Variegated Japanese Iris
Since planting my Monrovia Itoh Peony 'Keiko'™ 愛幕 (Adored) and the other Japanese named Monrovia Itoh peonies (Misaka 美 (Beautiful Blossom), Takara 慈悲 (Treasure), and Yumi 由美 (Possess Beauty)) in my Japanese garden in 2013, they have grown very nicely. These intersectional peonies make nice companions to the Japanese irises planted nearby and vice versa. The peonies are gorgeous when in bloom, and so are the irises.
Japanese Garden with Japanese Iris and Intersectional Peonies
Even though their bloom seasons do not intersect here, they make nice neighbors. The Japanese irises provide a spiky green backdrop for the large peony blossoms. The intersectional peonies provide a pleasing contrast of large lobed foliage with interesting green seed pods, which are left on the plant for interest after the peony blooms have faded. Since intersectional peonies almost never form seeds inside their seed pods, leaving the pods on the plant for interest will not expend any extra energy from the plant.

Intersectional Peony with Seed Pods and Japanese Iris

2015 Late Spring Peony Root Order

I finally got my first peony order of the year in yesterday. I was planning to place my order with Solaris Farms. I had been waiting to place my order until now because I had other large expense in previous months like new tires for my car, a trip to the 2015 American Peony Society Convention in Kentucky, etc. Anyway I guess I waited too late in the year because one of the peonies I wanted to order from Solaris Farms was already sold out for 2015, Peony 'Sonoma Velvet Ruby'. I really want to order this peony because the red color is nice, but another reason is because I am looking for a red intersectional whose foliage doesn't get brown spots on it very early in the season. Both of my other red intersectional peonies, Peony 'Scarlet Heaven' and Peony 'Lafayette Escadrille' get the Intersectional Peony Fungal Disease Peony Blotch on them. So I'm hoping Peony 'Sonoma Velvet Ruby' will have different enough genetics that perhaps it won't get this disease.
2015 Peony Order - 3 Intersectional Peonies
Peonies 'First Arrival', 'Sonoma Velvet Ruby', and 'Smith Family Yellow'
from Adelman Peony Gardens
I'm sure it is no surprise that all three of the peonies I ordered this year were intersectional peonies. I ended up placing my peony order this year with Peony Paradise, Adelman Peony Gardens this year. Their prices were a little higher than Solaris Farms for both Peony 'First Arrival' and Peony 'Sonoma Velvet Ruby', 2015 Intersectional Peony Catalog Price Comparison List. However they did have a peony I've been really wanting called Peony 'Smith's Family Yellow' since 2013. I was hoping they price would drop a bit, but it hasn't yet, and I'm tired of waiting! The other peony I ordered, Peony 'First Arrival', I already have, but it is mislabeled. I ordered it from some other non-peony grower, and I got Peony 'Bartzella' instead! So now I should get the real thing. :-)

2015 APS Convention Met Peony Hybridizer Don Smith

One of the most exciting things about the APS Convention this year was having the opportunity to meet Don Smith, the American intersectional peony hybridizer. Speaking with him was like listening to a peony prophet. I felt like I was just trying to absorb as much knowledge as I could in such a short period of time. He was a really nice guy and willing to share the boring (to some, but not to me) details of hybridizing from how he collects, stores, and transports his pollen, to how he puts the pollen on the carpels, to how he labels his peony seed pods, to how he starts all of his seeds indoors. Wow. I was amazed not only by the wealth of hybridizing knowledge and experience this man possesses, but also by his openness and generosity of spirit. I hope to meet him again one day.
Me and American Intersectional Peony Hybridizer Don Smith
I think he was happily surprised to meet me since I grow several of his intersectional peonies and also brought some of them to the APS Convention Exhibition. I even won ribbons for a couple of them, American Peony Society Southern Peony Winners. I won a 2nd place ribbon for a set of three blooms of his Peony 'Keiko' 愛幕 (Adored) - 'Pink Double Dandy' and an Honorable Mention award for a single blooms of his Peony Takara 慈悲 (Treasure) - Smith Opus 2. However I think what amazed him the most and made him most proud was the Court of Honor ribbon I won for a single bloom of his Peony 'Keiko' 愛幕 (Adored) - 'Pink Double Dandy', APS Southern Peony Court of Honor Winner - 'Keiko'. It amazed me too! :-)

2015 Peony Companion Plants Amaryllis

Pink Peony with Red Amaryllis
I couldn't resist taking a photo of this early amaryllis and late peony blooming together. The bright pink peony was fading just as the pinky red amaryllis was opening, and they looked so gorgeous together. Amaryllis are usually hardy in growing zones 7-10. So Southern gardeners in particular can delight in naturalizing these bulbs with their peonies. If you're looking for a special bulb with enough size and height to plant between your peonies, take a closer look at Amaryllis. Their form and substance are strong and tall enough to compliment peonies without overpowering them. Also there are so many colors and forms of amaryllis to choose from these days, including reds, pinks, whites, and multicolored as well as single and double flower form varieties.
Red Amaryllis with Green Peony Foliage

2015 APS Convention Peonies in Fiestaware Vases

Fiestaware Vase filled with Peonies
If there was one thing I can't stop thinking about from the American Peony Society Convention, it is the peonies in the Fiestaware vases that decorated the tables at the APS Banquet. Thanks to Mike Miller and his wife who brought their collection of gorgeous Feista Ware vases, all of the same pattern, but in a beautiful range of hues to decorate the tables at the banquet. They did an awesome job dressing up the room, and these Fiestaware vases were one of the first things I noticed as soon as I entered the banquet room. I asked them if the vases were up for auction, and they politely replied no. I guess I will just have to hunt down for one myself. :-)

2015 American Peony Society Yew Dell Gardens Tour

During the American Peony Society Convention and on the morning of our first tour day, we went on the American Peony Society Whitehall Mansion Tour of its house and gardens. In the afternoon we toured the Yew Dell Botanical Gardens. They had a very nice barn that was designed by an architect and housed their gift shop right at their main entrance, which is where they gave the intro to our tour.

Yew Dell Tour Guide and American Peony Society Members
Yew Dell Entrance Barn and Gift Shop
However before we even got off our tour buses and entered the Yew Dell barn, we noticed a group planting of yellow Itoh peonies. Also upon our exit from the barn we found another group planting of the same yellow intersectionals. They turned out to be the Peony 'Garden Treasure' that Don Hollingsworth had donated to Yew Dell a couple years before. They made such a lovely display, and really dressed up the entrance to Yew Dell. Everyone clamored to get a photo of Don Hollingsworth and his gorgeous Peony 'Garden Treasure'.

Don Hollingsworth and Peony 'Garden Treasure'
The tour of Yew Dell included a look at their display gardens, kitchen garden, fountain garden, shade garden, rooftop garden, greenhouses, and of course their castle. The tour was quick and we had lunch in the garden shortly afterwards. It seems I could have spent a couple more hours exploring the gardens here, but I used my bit of free time during lunch to chat with other APS members. After lunch one bus load of people went back to the Galt House Hotel, and those who chose to stay participated in the ALM training program part two.
APS Members at the Yew Dell Castle

2015 Peony Blooms Week 6 - Late

We continue this week with lots more lactiflora peonies in bloom. With it being almost June, the weather is much warmer. We had two days in the 90s, two days in the 80s, and three days in the 70s. The 90 degree days were really hard on the peonies with blooms wilting much faster. Also most of the week 6 late bloomers this year are usually my week 7 very late season bloomers. So the weeks have definitely merged together, and my peony bloom season is coming to a close. There are still a few bright spots in the garden with the bright hot pinks of Peony 'Paul M. Wild' and Peony 'Mons. Martin Cahuzac'. Also the pure white blossoms of Peony 'Elsa Sass' and Peony 'White Frost' still draw the eye.

Peony 'Pink Parasol Surprise'	Peony 'Mons. Martin Cahuzac'
Peony 'Paul M. Wild'	Peony 'Vivid Rose'
Peony 'Elsa Sass'	Peony 'White Frost'

2015 American Peony Society Gold Medal Winner - 'Mahoghany'

American Peony Society Facebook Page
Peony 'Mahogany' 2015 Gold Medal Winner
This year the American Peony Society selected Peony 'Mahogany' as the APS Gold Medal Winner for 2015 and 2016 Peony of the Year. Peony 'Mahogany' was hybridized by Glasscock and registered in 1937. The APS registration describes it as "Single - Deep mahogany. Very early. Hybrid. Large, single, cup-shaped bloom of deep mahogany color. Albiflora x officinalis Otto Froebel." I actually do not grow this peony, but it has been on my peony want list since 2008 when Hollingsworth Peonies was selling it for $24.00. Don't ask me why I haven't ordered it in the last 7 years. I guess there were other peonies on my list too! ;-) I'm sure the prices will go up for this peony in next year's catalogs. Interestingly enough, I wasn't able to find it in any of this years catalogs so I could actually order one for myself. If you know of a peony grower who is selling it for fall shipment, please let me know!

2015 APS Auction Winnings - Peony Love Affair

Hollingsworth Peonies' Peony 'Love Affair'
I am so excited about my 2015 American Peony Society Convention auction wins. Not only was the convention a blast, but the auction also gave attendees and opportunity to add new and possibly rare peony selections to their gardens! If there was one peony that I really wanted from the auction, it was Don Hollingsworth's Peony 'Love Affair'. I have been wanting this peony since 2013 when Hollingsworth Peonies was selling it for $150, and I have been waiting for the price to drop. However instead of the price dropping, they actually increased it this year. Also I did try to purchase it on Ebay last year, but it turned out to be Fake Itohs on Ebay - 4 (Not) Intersectional Peonies which was very disappointing. So I was prepared to pay $150 for it in the APS auction. However I was able to win it in the APS Auction for the lucky price of $90! I am so excited. I finally have the real one. I can't wait to see this peony bloom, and I'm curious to see how its foliage and blooms compare to my other white intersectional, Peony 'White Emperor'.

Intersectional Peony 'Love Affair'	Tree Peony 'Rou Fu Rong' (Pink Lotus)

I won a Peony Gift Basket for $35, which I think was probably worth at least $50. So that was awesome. I also won one other peony, Peony 'Defender' a red colored Saunders hybrid for $35, which will fit nicely in my Saunders peony garden. I won a flower arrangement which I gave to my Mom for her birthday. Her birthday happened to be the exact same day as the APS auction, so I was thinking about her that day. :-) There was one more item from the auction that was gifted to me, Tree Peony 'Rou Fu Rong' (Pink Lotus). It is apparently a double pink tree peony. My tree peony garden is still very small with only a few selections. So this will be a nice addition as well. :-)

2015 Fake Itohs on Ebay - 4 (Not) Intersectional Peonies

So remember those 4 Itoh Intersectional Peonies on Ebay I purchased last fall? Well, they turned out to not be intersectional peonies at all. All four of them were some nameless single flowering herbaceous roots that the seller misrepresented as much more valuable intersectional peonies. I have purchased intersectional peony roots from a different seller on Ebay in previous years that were actually intersectional peonies. This seller, bernard*sweety, sold me expensive intersectional peony roots, but actually sent me cheap herbaceous roots.
Credit Card Dispute for Fake Itoh Intersectional Peony
As you can see I was able to successfully dispute the charges with my Discover credit card. However I also had to talk with Paypal customer service because I had also used a $25 Paypal gift card on this purchase. So all told this seller, bernard*sweety, tried to defraud me out of over $160. I am not the type of person to take that sitting down. As soon as I saw the foliage come up in the spring, I knew it was herbaceous foliage, not intersectional foliage. So I opened a dispute right away and gave Discover all of the required dispute documentation (and then some) as evidence. I also wanted to let all of you know in case you are thinking of ordering something from this seller, bernard*sweety, don't! I'm not saying I won't ever order peonies on Ebay again. However I will be much more leery of what they're selling. If I want a peony that is guaranteed to be the correct variety, then I will definitely order from a reputable peony grower that stands behind their roots!
Fake Itoh Intersectional Peony from Ebay

2015 American Peony Society Southern Peony Winners

Wow! I can hardly believe it. I actually won a ribbon in the APS show, and not just one, lots of them! This was my first time showing peonies - ever. There was also a special blue and light blue ribbon, an APS Southern Peony Court of Honor Winner for 'Keiko' ('Pink Double Dandy'). I feel like I made so many mistakes, and could have done much better. I have definitely learned a lot for the next time I exhibit flowers. I'm not sure when I'll exhibit again, though. It was almost a last minute decision to enter flowers into the show this year. Originally I had planned on flying to the convention. However after evaluating the cost of driving and staying in the Galt House Hotel against flying and staying in a budget hotel, driving was a bit cheaper. So I decided to drive, which opened up the possibility of bringing peonies for the APS Exhibition. I'm not sure I'm up for the challenge of getting peonies to a show via an airline yet. So it may be a while before the opportunity to show presents itself again. We'll see though. Once you enter some peonies in the show, and you do well, it makes you want to do it again! Also I thought these were the only peonies I had that won a ribbon, but apparently I didn't look the tables over closely enough. Apparently I won 1 more ribbon! Wow!

3 Blooms Peony 'Bartzella' First Award	3 Blooms Peony 'Pink Double Dandy' Second Award	3 Blooms Peony 'Cora Louise' Second Award
Peony 'Pastel Splendor' Third Award	Peony 'White Emperor' Second Award	Peony 'Bartzella' First Award
Peony 'Soft Lemon Kisses' Honorable Mention	Peony 'Roy Pehrson's Best Yellow' Second Award	Peony 'Grace Root' Third Award
Peony 'Pink Spritzer' First Award	Peony 'Pink Luau' Second Award	Peony 'Feather Top' Second Award
Peony 'Do Tell' Second Award	Peony 'Angel Cheeks' Second Award	Peony 'Kansas' Second Award
Peony 'Bowl of Cream' Third Award	Peony 'Pink Double Dandy' First Award Court of Honor	Peony 'Smith Opus 2' Honorable Mention