Growing Pretty Peonies + Peony Pointers

Peonies are beautiful fragrant flowers that I was never introduced to until a few years ago. My mother loved flowers of every variety but only planted what she could grow in a pot that she could enjoy while running our family owned business—various restaurants and while raising four children! Thus, it wasn’t my mother who introduced me to these beauties although her love of flowers and green thumb was passed on to me. The peonies that I was introduced to were growing graciously in my mother-in-law’s front yard. When I asked her about them, she told me that I could take some home! Their fragrance was amazing and their beauty in glass vases just stunning! As stunning as this bride’s bouquet of peonies………..

Not long after my introduction to peonies, I bought two bags from Lowe’s of these flowers! I let the bags sit too long so I thought (while I was pregnant with my first child). My daughter was eager to arrive early and enjoy my love of flowers so it was my mom who salvaged my peonies in a bag. She planted them right outside my backdoor. And they grew….and they grow! Each spring, their stems sprout……their leaves grow and their flowers grace our entrance and exit each day! Each year, we have more blooms than the year before. My mother-in-law’s peonies are abundant. The blooms are on every stem, multiplied by ten! Amazing! Thus, Martha Stewart’s Living June 2012 issue’s article,Burgeoning Success, reminded me to put on my calendar “ASK MOTHER-IN-LAW” to split her perfect peonies with me this fall! The article I read shared Katheleen Gagan’s success with peonies. She shared what she learned about peonies:

No Fuss Plants: Once established in full, bright sun, peonies thrive on neglect and can live more than 100 years!
Easy to Propagate: By divinding the roots in fall, when the plants are dormant, you can expand your collection and share them with friends/family
Blooms that Last: If you cut herbaceous peonies while they are still in bud form, they’ll last for up to 6 weeks in the refrigerator. Take them out of the refrigerator and they will open at room temperature!
Cool Factor: Peonies require winter’s chill to flower, so it’s better not to give them extra protection in winter. Plant shallowly, and avoid mulch.

Thus, this fall I will not forget to ask my mother-in-law and father-in-law who promise me peony roots each spring since my first, fresh-cut fragrant peony bloom! In the fall, I will bring my spring bucket and gardening tools to dig up a few roots that I’ll transplant next to my two four year old peonies!

Bio
Latest Posts

Litsa @How to Have it All

Litsa is a stay at home mom to a beautiful little girl. She is a native of Greece and now resides in Tennessee. As a former teacher, Litsa wears many hats that it takes to make a home a functioning home!