Somehow, life seems just a bit kinder when peonies are blooming! They’re full, fluffy, and fragrant, they make for easy bouquet-making, and they just carry so many memories along with them. Our original peonies were from Aunt Willie and we know her plants were passed-along from her mom where they were blooming at the Homeplace. I’ve already passed some of my peonies to my daughter and they’re blooming now. If you have a peony or two there’s a fairly good chance it was given to you by your mom, grandmother or a friend. Pass-along plants are my favorites and since peonies can last over 100 years they’re very likely candidates. With them come all the memories of the folk who came before and what could be sweeter. A bridal bouquet is so much lovelier when I can steal a peony or two from a mom or grandma’s garden. My last May bridal bouquet will have peonies from the groom’s grandmother’s garden and some that go all the way back to the bride’s great grandmother!
If you want to pass your plant along, wait til fall, dig the rootball and divide into sections of 3-4 eyes and share with a friend. When you divide and transplant it will take 2-3 years before you’ll have plentiful blooms to cut but then you’re good for another 100 years 🙂
Peonies store well if you cut them at the right time. The buds start out hard like a marble then move to soft like a marshmallow and marshmallow stage is just right for storing in a cooler or refrigerator. They can be stored upright in a vase or even stacked dry with leaves stripped and wrapped in newspaper. We have used well stored peonies in July weddings and while they’re vase life is shorter after stored, for weddings they only have to last til midnight 🙂
Goings on at the Farm!
And while we’re talking peonies, what better flower to fill out a Mother’s Day Bouquet! I posted bouquets earlier in the week and they sold out, but we’ve added more as spring is handing us armloads of beautiful blooms. Pick up will be Saturday May 10th from 8-10 am at Aunt Willie’s.
We’re delighted that Lisa King is able to lead Yoga and Flowers again this year and our first gathering will be Thursday,May 15th at the cabin in the woods. After Lisa leads us all in gentle yoga we create a ball jar arrangement of flowers!
We’ll be adding a Growing Dahlias workshop and a Farm Tour in May but we haven’t quite nailed down the dates. Stay tuned.
Next week, campanula!
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