Paeonia 2016

[Tim Harberd]

About six weeks earlier than last year! A tree peony and a herbaceous peony leafing up already. (This in West Yorkshire)

Tim DH

[P. Kohn]

Not that far forward yet in Sheffield though our young plants in pots are coming through strongly.

[Growild]

Noticed Paeonia ostii coming into leaf too this morning (South West Scotland).

[ruweiss]

We had practically no winter until today (except 2 nights with -10°C) and it is frightening how far the buds of
Paeonia ostii are grown. This Paeonia is always the first to flower of all my peonies and it would be a pity if
frost would damage it.
The picture of the flowering plant is from last year.

[mark smyth]

I had a terrible experience buying peonies from a well known UK peony supplier two weeks back. Postage was £32 for 8 plants that were supposed to have been potted in the autumn. They were ordered on March 15th and they arrived on the next day. At the time I didn't knock them out of their pots to have a look. I started planting this week but where are the roots! The roots of all were about 2 inches 5cm long. It's as if they were kept somewhere cold until I bought them and they started to root quickly. I emailed them, they phoned me, I missed them, I phoned back, person not available ..

Their web site says this which I assumed referred to their autumn sales
"Containerised plants are recently potted field grown plants. They will not have rooted through the pot yet, so the compost may fall away when you plant them. This is the normal way to treat field grown peonies & roses, and nothing to worry about. Just incorporate the compost into the planting hole, gently firm in, and water well."

The photo shows 'Claire de Lune'

[Regelian]

The Mouton peonies are blooming about 10 days now.  Here are two seedlings I rather like.  Probably from Fen Dan Bai x Hana Dai Jin, but I'm not really sure.

[Maggi Young]

Hello Jamie - we've missed you, welcome back!  Astonishing to see the paeonies in bloom when we have been having so much sleet, hail and snow here in the UK - it will be some time before we see paeony blooms I think - which makes your beauties all the more welcome!

[Regelian]

Hey, Maggie!  Thanks for the greetings.  Hope to post a bit more this season.

Here are a couple more blooms that opened yesterday.
Godaishu is a classic japanese hybrid distinguished by its white sheath and gleaming white tepals.  Very similar to Hakuo-Jishi, which has slightly smaller flowers and a bit of gloss to the foliage.  otherwise hard to tell apart.
The second pink blossom was given to me unidentified.  Probably japanese origin.
The third is a pale seedling with a fine picotee on the floral segments.  Curious, in any case.

j.

[Regelian]

A few more have bloomed.

The first is Dutchess of Kent, with enormous, ruffled blossoms.  Ungfortunately it must be staked, due to the weight of the blooms.
Then two shots of Hana Dai Jin, one with my hand to give you a perspective of flower size.
Another white seedling, with blunt floral segments, giving it a more cupped form.
The last may be misidentified as Shimane Chojuraki, as i have found two very different version of this in the internet.  A beauty under any name.

When one comes to this part of the garden it smells rather intense.  Either you like it...or you don't.

Jamie

[David Nicholson]

Lovely stuff Jamie and nice to see you back.

[Gabriela]

Peony time is most wonderful.

[Regelian]

David,  greetings!  It's nice to slip back into the fold.  And, Gabriela, I agree.  The peonies simply start the Spring-Summer flowers with a big splash.

Here are Hakuo-Jishi, a japanese white, plus another shot of the pale pink seedling, which produces more intense flowers from the side shoots, largely due to the increased heat as these develope.

P. lutea (ludlowii) has just started and the various P. delavayii and P. potannini are right behind.

J.

[Regelian]

Almost forgot.  The violet Rockii hybrid is blooming.  Earlier than the actual type by about 2 weeks. The foliage is a wonderful lime green.

[fleurbleue]

Hi Jamie, nice to read you again Beautiful paeonies !

[Regelian]

Morning, Nicole!  I trust all is well with you.  Did you bloom any of the peony seed?

Attached are what happens to the Duchess of Kent under heat stress!
Then a P. rockii seedling blooming for the very first time.
And the ubiquitous High Noon, one of the best yellow.