Monday, January 29, 2018

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!

Tuesday, January 23, 2018

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
Dreamtime5 seeds
Dreamtime X Seidl Super5 seeds
Dreamtime X Vanilla Gorilla5 seeds
Lemon Chiffon12 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!!!

Monday, January 22, 2018

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

Friday, January 12, 2018

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

Friday, January 5, 2018

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

Monday, January 1, 2018

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