Paeonia 2022

[Gail]

The peony season has started here in Norfolk;

Paeonia clusii, in a pot till I decide best place for it...


Paeonia obovata alba which stubbornly produces just one stem a year.


and Paeonia decomposita - grown from AGS seed sown in 2017, which is quite fast to first flowering for me. It has a lovely scent.

I'm off to Greece on Wednesday - the third attempt at a Greentours trip to see peonies in the Greek Rhodope, so keeping everything crossed that a. I get there  and b. they are in flower!

[Maggi Young]

Bon voyage, Gail!!

[Peppa]

The peony season has started here in Norfolk;
(Attachment Link)
Paeonia clusii, in a pot till I decide best place for it...

(Attachment Link)
Paeonia obovata alba which stubbornly produces just one stem a year.

(Attachment Link)
and Paeonia decomposita - grown from AGS seed sown in 2017, which is quite fast to first flowering for me. It has a lovely scent.

I'm off to Greece on Wednesday - the third attempt at a Greentours trip to see peonies in the Greek Rhodope, so keeping everything crossed that a. I get there  and b. they are in flower!

Very pretty! I really like the white flowers against the dark leaves. Are these dark leaves (Paeonia clusii) typical for the species or is this a particularly nice clone?

[Leena]

I'm off to Greece on Wednesday - the third attempt at a Greentours trip to see peonies in the Greek Rhodope, so keeping everything crossed that a. I get there  and b. they are in flower!

Have a nice trip, and I hope you see a lot of peonies and take pictures.

[Gail]

Are these dark leaves (Paeonia clusii) typical for the species or is this a particularly nice clone?

I think fairly typical, they do lighten as they mature and become a more silvery grey.

Thanks for the good wishes - I'll definitely take pictures, even if it is only of leaves...

[Peppa]

I think fairly typical, they do lighten as they mature and become a more silvery grey.

Thanks for the good wishes - I'll definitely take pictures, even if it is only of leaves...

If the dark leaves are fairly common, I would love to find seeds and try them myself in the future.

Have a safe and great trip! Looking forward to seeing your photos!

[Lyndon Whyatt]

Wow both are lovely! No peonies open yet for me in Potter Heigham yet. Here’s to things to come!

[ruweiss]

The first Peonies start flowering - the bumblebees enjoy the good
offer of pollen.

[Gail]

Well, I did get to Greece - third time lucky, and we did find peonies but sadly due to the late spring, did not see any flowers. Last Friday was the Greek Orthodox Good Friday and we at least had a lovely time up in the mountain admiring the healthy peony plants while listening to the Easter service being broadcast from the village and there was a profusion of Anemone pavonina to enjoy.






These are meant to be Paeonia saurei and anyone with time to spare in the next week are strongly advised to go and visit! They should be spectacular in flower. (P. saurei apparently differs from P. peregrina in having leaflets that are entire, rarely lobed and sparsely hispidulous beneath, and in having red stigmas.)

[Gail]

The second peony population we found were also still in bud. Growing with a galanthus, that had probably flowered in February as the leaves were starting to die back.

[Gabriela]

The first Peonies start flowering - the bumblebees enjoy the good
offer of pollen.

Very nice Rudi!
Interesting, in our climate P. mascula is also the first to emerge and then to flower. Some years, too early given the dangers of late frosts until late May. And it grows with an incredible speed in early spring, only matched by P. japonica.

[Gabriela]

The second peony population we found were also still in bud. Growing with a galanthus, that had probably flowered in February as the leaves were starting to die back.

Always nice to see peonies in the wild habitat, thanks for sharing Gail.

[Leena]

Gail, thank you for pictures of wild habitats of peonies  . It looks stony ground and it is no wonder P.peregrina type peonies don't like to grow in my flat more wet clay soil.

[FrazerHenderson]

Just to advise that the May issue of Gardens Illustrated has an eight page spread showcasing the hybrid peonies at Binny Plants, UK. with helpful advice provided by nursery owner Billy Carruthers.

His illustrated peony catalogue can be found at https://www.binnyplants.com/catalogue. The plants are a fine sight at the nursery when the collection is in full bloom.

[Claire Cockcroft]

Paeonia mascula, P. daurica subsp. mlokosewitschii, and a double P. suffruticosa (all from seed)