Ah, Peonies...

Do I need words?

'Hanakisoi' Gets Her TIme in the Spotlight

I have had some surprising casualties of this past winter, our mildest one on record; a variegated pink silene, white baby's breath, blue flax, some iris crisata, an azalea 'Mandarin Lights', miscanthus 'Purple Flame Grass, closed bottle gentian. All have been in my garden for years. I had thought a long stem red rose had also expired. A rose propagated from a dozen roses given to me on a Valentine's Day that was extra special, my son's first-- or maybe second-- depending on how you count, as he was conceived on Valentine's Day nineteen years ago. Just the other day I notice growth at the ground and vowed this year to make another rose from this special plant. This is a rose that I had dug up and brought with me from the house in IL and was now at ten years in its new home, and established plant. Likewise Japanese tree peony 'Hanakisoi' is an established beauty, now taking its place in the spotlight.

Clematis 'Josephine' is Queen

Clematis 'Josephine' is queen of my garden today, even if a few other vignettes and blooms are giving her a run for the money.

Although the Japanese tree peony 'Hanakisoi' is kicking it, too! Both of these stunners need a couple years to establish themselves in the garden and like to be planted a bit deep or heavily mulched. The clematis obviously needs a structure to entwine itself upon and a bit of encouragement to do so. Not visible is a green cage I allow my peony to grow up through.