Friday, October 16, 2015

2015 Move Single White Peonies to Front of House


Mass Planting of Peony 'Krinkled White'
in Don C. Smith's Garden

I was really inspired by the mass of single, white Peony 'Krinkled White' blooms at Don Smith's house on the 2015 American Peony Society Convention garden tour. (I think we all were!) So as part of my 2015 Southern Peony Big Dig, I have planted 5 single white peonies in front of my house. This was not a single day in the making. I have been working on this project for months. I should have taken some before pictures, but I had these massive - almost as tall as me - bushes eating up my front walkway. They were growing over the sidewalk every year, and had to be given a buzz cut to keep them in check. My stepfather came over one day in July and cut them all down - all 5 of those monsters. As you can see they were so big, they were blocking the sun for my three Dwarf Alberta Spruce trees. I probably should have cut those bushes down a couple years ago. I'm hoping the dwarf spruces will recover well, and perhaps some of the other new landscaping will help fill in the gaps!

Front of House - Monster Bushes Cut Down,
New Landscaping, New Mulch, Holes Dug for Peonies

I spent a couple more days digging out the stumps and roots of those bushes. I decided I wanted a silver and white theme, and I added a dash of lavender too. So in August I planted some Powis Castle artemisias, Buzz Ivory butterfly bushes, and Russian sage. I also planted some Joan Senior and Sunday Gloves daylilies. In September I got a dump truck of mulch delivered and added a nice layer of new mulch. Things were improving, but there was still one thing missing - my hedge of single white peonies! So now in October, I have planted 5 single, white peonies - divisions of the most floriferous, single, white peony I have ever grown, 2013 Peony Single White Best Performer - Week 3. It was a plant that was sold to me as Peony 'Seraphim', but obviously mislabeled. I think it must be Peony 'Krinkled White', the same peony Don has planted in his garden. I thought before that it wasn't 'Krinkled White' since Gilbert Wild had it listed as mid-late season bloomer. However several other sources state that Peony 'Krinkled White' is an early season bloomer. Now I just can't wait until spring to see these peonies bloom. I'm sure it will take a couple more years before my peonies become a mass of color like Don's, but I will enjoy them all along as they grow. :-)

Single White Peonies Waiting to be Planted

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