Saturday Gardening Thread: Dreamlands [KT]

Itoh intersectional peonies are a hybrid cross between a bush peony and a tree peony. They are often referred to as Itoh peonies, after the first successful breeder of these magnificent peonies, Mr. Toichi Itoh.

Does that peony make you dream of a Japanese garden? Our hot, dry climate with little winter chill is not particularly well-suited for regular bush peonies. Sunset rates this type for the same climates, including ours, where both types are said to need part shade. I don't know anyone who grows them around here. At least until the price comes down, I'm not gonna try planting them. I'll probably settle for dreaming about seeing them in a Japanese garden. Somewhere. Anybody got suggestions?

Not all dreams are pleasant. And not everyone has the same image of a dream destination. I think the plant below, and its native habitat, might rank as nightmares for some people I know.

Trump Hair? I'm surrounded by Trump Hair?

I've only been to the edge of the Badlands National Park. I thought there was a good reason for its name. It's not Manhattan.

But I think it is fascinating. Even some lefties like it. Apparently, not all of the federal employees at the park are wild about Trump, though. Twitter dust-up. Heh.

Anyway, the Trumpian grass shown above, Prairie Dropseed, is also profiled by the Missouri Botanical Garden. It is a clump-forming, drought-tolerant and decorative. If you like clumps of grass in your garden.

Foliage turns golden with orange hues in fall, fading to light bronze in winter. Open, branching flower panicles appear on slender stems which rise well above the foliage clump in late summer to 30-36" tall. Flowers have pink and brown tints, but are perhaps most noted for their unique fragrance (hints of coriander). Tiny rounded mature seeds drop to the ground from their hulls in autumn giving rise to the descriptive common name.

Sound like good food for quails. Or maybe even for some larger animals. It is shown below with the tall flower/seed stalks that rise above the foliage clumps in summer.

Native Prairie Dropseed with Decorative Foreign Mammal

Gardens of The Horde

I got nothin' new. We're cutting and digging weeds. Eating a few greens. I still have some wildflower photos from Kindltot, which we will be seeing soon if all goes according to plan. Anyone else want to send in garden photos?

Oranges have been excellent the last few weeks in the supermarket. Haven't seen a big jump in veggie prices due to flooding at CaliGirl's ranch. Have you?

Still battling the effects of weather in your yard or garden?

Back to Peonies

Do you grow peonies? I'm ready to visit some peony gardens. Well, maybe not right now, but soon. Herbaceous peonies are very hardy, even in Alaska. This time of year, they are buried under piles of snow along the sides of many driveways across the country. But Festiva Maxima is an old cultivar that is known for doing better where winters are warmer than most others. I think it does fine in cold-winter climates, too. There are a few others like this. Mainly early varieties. Plants can last up to 50 years in the garden.

Intersectional Peonies bloom a little earlier than regular herbaceous peonies, and may be less prone to botrytis. They come in a wider color range than herbaceous peonies. They are quite a recent development. The first ones were apparently bred in the 1960s.

Tree Peonies include one of the parent species of Lemon Dream at the top of the post. They will grow closer to mild-weather coasts than herbaceous peonies. The flowers on some cultivars are YUUGE. They grow some knock-out specimens in Australia and New Zealand. Take a look.

Tree peonies bloom earlier than herbaceous peonies. The ones in the video below are in an actual Japanese garden, wearing little straw hats for the winter. They are blooming in late January. There are some other beautiful winter/early spring flowers in the video, too. Enjoy. Have a great week.

Posted by: Open Blogger at 12:22 PM

Comments

(Jump to bottom of comments)

1 Thanks KT. Great post. Question about parsley: do you need to plant fresh seed every year or is it good for two years?

Posted by: Mrs JTB at January 28, 2017 12:19 PM (V+03K)

2 This has been a strange winter.

Posted by: HH at January 28, 2017 12:20 PM (DrCtv)

3 should do one on microclimates in the backyard. for the intersectionality of it.

Posted by: Bigby's Typing Hands at January 28, 2017 12:23 PM (U0lQa)

4 Mrs JTB at January 28, 2017 12:19 PM

Parsley seed is not one of your more long-lived seeds, but if you have kept it cool and dry, you can probably get it to grow. Might want to plant it more thickly than normal. It takes a LONG time to germinate.

If you decide to buy fresh seed, I recommend Giant Italian. There are also some curly types with better flavor than the supermarket types.

Posted by: KT at January 28, 2017 12:24 PM (qahv/)

5 Bigby's Typing Hands at January 28, 2017 12:23 PM

Microclimates. Intersectionality. Timely.

Heh.

Posted by: KT at January 28, 2017 12:25 PM (qahv/)

6 Wondering if I killed my chives by covering with plastic, last year they survived all winter above ground but nothing there now. My oregino has died off to the ground if to cold but last year and this year its still above ground. I will get more if it has died off as I love chives.

Posted by: Skip at January 28, 2017 12:25 PM (0AwCy)

7 KT: Thanks. Excellent information. Onward to the seed catalog!

Posted by: Mrs JTB at January 28, 2017 12:26 PM (V+03K)

8 Speaking of dreams, anybody finding enticing plants in the catalogs?

Posted by: KT at January 28, 2017 12:28 PM (qahv/)

9 I started digging up my old compost, sieving it and dumping it in the garden.
I poked a bit at the newer pile, but even though it has rained and I chopped up the corn stalks when I piled it up, it is still to heavy and wet and bulky to turn over just yet.

We had a week of below freezing weather and that will freeze a pile here to the core, so the worms, at least, have to re-discover the leaves and buried coffee grounds.

It is pruning weather though, and I need to start chopping the filbert suckers back and prune the apple tree finally.

Posted by: Kindltot at January 28, 2017 12:28 PM (BVxQW)

10 As I wrote earlier, this week I don't think it went below freezing even at night, and only had 1 dusting of snow so far.

Posted by: Skip at January 28, 2017 12:29 PM (0AwCy)

11 I use a piece of masonry stucco wire to sift compost and topsoil. I have boards screwed to 2 sides and use heavy gloves to rake material through.

Posted by: Skip at January 28, 2017 12:32 PM (0AwCy)

12 Trump is lying about our Presdent of Color and we needs to due something to stops this. Trump will destroy this country and accelerates globull warming, starve children from other countries, and place gays and lesbians in jaal. Trump lied and people died !!!!!

Posted by: Mary Clogginstien from Brattleboro (Soon to be Obamaboro) Vt at January 28, 2017 12:34 PM (Fbj4h)

13 Skip at January 28, 2017 12:32 PM

No other workout necessary, I am guessing.

Posted by: KT at January 28, 2017 12:36 PM (qahv/)

14 I am going to put in a real garden for the first time this year. I will be attending this thread every week, looking for ideas and info. Very excited!

Posted by: Popcorn at January 28, 2017 12:38 PM (tIeHC)

15 Black thumb among a family of green thumbs. I lurk here. Love the peonies. And when I was in Russia, there was a profusion of lilacs. Fabulous. And so many others, like orchids, admired by this Black Thumb.

Love the Trump hair. Carry on you guys and enjoy!

Posted by: gracepc at January 28, 2017 12:41 PM (OU4q6)

16 Why not show a picture refleectering Presdent Obama'g hair? Obvioussly the wensite does not care for persins of coler !!!!

Posted by: Mary Clogginstien from Brattleboro (Soon to be Obamaboro) Vt at January 28, 2017 12:42 PM (Fbj4h)

17 Had a couple 50-degree days last week so got some downed branched hauled up and piled on the burn pit.

Just a waiting game now. Still too early to start seedlings.

Posted by: cicero Kaboom! kid at January 28, 2017 12:47 PM (Kz5ms)

18 That top pic looks nice enough to have been posted as a painting in one of the weekday mid-morning threads

Posted by: PMRich at January 28, 2017 12:48 PM (w5Qj0)

19 Rotation on a small garden is nearly pointless, but might move things around a bit to see if it helps, last year was most disappointed

Posted by: Skip at January 28, 2017 12:48 PM (0AwCy)

20 19 Rotation on a small garden is nearly pointless, but might move things around a bit to see if it helps, last year was most disappointed

Posted by: Skip at January 28, 2017 12:48 PM (0AwCy)

No, no, no, no, no!!! Any crop grown where beans were planted prior will appreciate it.

Posted by: cicero Kaboom! kid at January 28, 2017 12:51 PM (Kz5ms)

21 Just a vegetative update from a non-green thumbed Moron.

Pin Oak and Live Oak trees out front, never did fully shed leaves this season, and are already gaining new leaves and budding new shoots n' branches.

And yeah, I had to mow the damn lawn a few days ago, too.

Winter in Galveston.

Jim
Sunk New Dawn
Galveston, TX

Posted by: Jim at January 28, 2017 12:52 PM (v5iqM)

22 Don't kill the ants on the peony buds. They are necessary for the blooming.

Posted by: Jinx the Cat at January 28, 2017 12:55 PM (80Uh3)

23 I've got a massive peony.

Thanks to Miracle Gro and genetics.

Posted by: Big Fat Meanie at January 28, 2017 12:55 PM (n3MnG)

24 Growing up, we had a peony border all around our house (northern Illinois). The peonies were beautiful and lush and fragrant and always full of ants. My mom still has pink peonies at her house.

My son is getting married in June,. His fiance will have a peony bouquet, and the centerpieces are single peonies in a mason jar.

Posted by: grammie winger at January 28, 2017 12:55 PM (bpfzP)

25 I'm looking forward to a lot of unemployed EPA fags, and if they aren't careful, the NPS will be next.. I've always been a supporter of the NPS, but can't say I'm thrilled with the overly-protectionist attitudes of the rank and file that I've seen. Pretty sure they'd be happy if they could just keep people out of 'their' parks.

Posted by: Weasel at January 28, 2017 12:55 PM (Sfs6o)

26 Mrs. JTB, if you don't care where your parsley pops up, I've had the best success with my parsley replanting itself, without my intervention. I just buy a Giant Italian plant every couple of years and watch out for the babies when I weed. Nature is better at germinating than I am.

Posted by: Emmie at January 28, 2017 12:56 PM (xVuS6)

27 I wanted a peony when I was growing up, but my parents said no.

Posted by: Weasel at January 28, 2017 12:56 PM (Sfs6o)

28 Very mild winter where I am. They're talking about this being a La Nina year, but I think Latin Music is a fad.

But really, the last La Nina was in 2012, and that was a shitty ass hot & droughty summer. I naively planted hydrangeas in the spring and the first blast of convection oven winds from the south wiped them out.

Posted by: Big Fat Meanie at January 28, 2017 01:00 PM (n3MnG)

29 27 I wanted a peony when I was growing up, but my parents said no.

Posted by: Weasel at January 28, 2017 12:56 PM (Sfs6o)

No! I said I wanted a ten-inch peony!

Posted by: Guy in the bar with a genie-bottle at January 28, 2017 01:00 PM (Kz5ms)

30 Emmie: Thanks for the info. The parsley filled an old wheelbarrow last season. Will be interesting to see what happens this year.

Posted by: Mrs JTB at January 28, 2017 01:00 PM (V+03K)

31 Thanks for the wonderful garden thread, KT, now I'm inspired to plant some peonies this year, ants be damned!

I thought the 'Intersectional Peony' was a fun Moron swipe at SJW's everywhere, but a quick click on the link shows that it's REAL. Oh, my.

Posted by: Fannie Farmer at January 28, 2017 01:01 PM (oQQwD)

32 >>>They are often referred to as Itoh peonies, after the first successful breeder of these magnificent peonies, Mr. Toichi Itoh.

Fact: males interested in peonies are called Breonnies.

Posted by: My Little Peony at January 28, 2017 01:03 PM (rH4JY)

33 We are cleaning up around here. Last weekend I lost 1 eucalyptus and some big branches broke some fences and a manzanita tree. I'm lucky I didn't lose more big trees.

We had about 2 1/3 inches of rain from the last storm.

75-100 foot eucalyptus tree down.

http://tinypic.com/r/2iji4qe/9

Posted by: CaliGirl at January 28, 2017 01:04 PM (8cEQL)

34 Thanks KT,
I love peonies. I wish we were able to grow them around here.
I think that's why I love the David Austin roses, some of them kind of look like peonies.

Posted by: CaliGirl at January 28, 2017 01:08 PM (8cEQL)

35 OT - Trump 1st weekly address; starts on time, never says i and wraps it up in a couple minutes flat.

Posted by: torabora at January 28, 2017 01:12 PM (QQRAy)

36 I think that's why I love the David Austin roses, some of them kind of look like peonies.

Posted by: CaliGirl at January 28, 2017 01:08 PM (8cEQL)
===============================

Yes. I used big fat David Austin roses in my bouquet last summer, as the peony season had passed by then. Plus I just like big fat roses. Not those dinky tea roses. I like flowers the size of a lunch plate.

Posted by: grammie winger at January 28, 2017 01:13 PM (bpfzP)

37 CaliGirl, I found that eucalyptus was a pleasant firewood. I also found it really didn't need much in the way of kindling to get a fire going.

Posted by: Kindltot at January 28, 2017 01:17 PM (BVxQW)

38 Popcorn at January 28, 2017 12:38 PM

Good luck with your new garden!

Posted by: KT at January 28, 2017 01:17 PM (qahv/)

39 Kindltot at January 28, 2017 12:28 PM

Filberts definitely know how to sucker.

Posted by: KT at January 28, 2017 01:19 PM (qahv/)

40 gracepc at January 28, 2017 12:41 PM

What were you doing in Russia? I think it's great that lilacs are tough enough to survive there. And in some other really, really cold and harsh places, too.

Posted by: KT at January 28, 2017 01:21 PM (qahv/)

41 Grammie winger,
The David Austin roses smell so nice too. I have some of them here and I just love them.

Your bouquet sounds beautiful.

Posted by: CaliGirl at January 28, 2017 01:22 PM (8cEQL)

42 Jim at January 28, 2017 12:52 PM

Off-season bloom in pears and apples here. For the second year, there ws some bloom in the fall. Interesting weather around the country.

Posted by: KT at January 28, 2017 01:24 PM (qahv/)

43 Kindlot,
I prefer eucalyptus for firewood in the house. I have cords of it. I will have much more after they cut that tree and it dries out.
I hate oak in the house it smells. The pine is okay for inside but euc is my favorite.

Posted by: CaliGirl at January 28, 2017 01:25 PM (8cEQL)

44 Hi KT -
I can't recall if there has been a Garden Thread on container gardens. We have a large urban backyard, but the only part not heavily shaded is on the deck and patio below. I like growing vegetables, but didn't have much luck this year with tomatoes, eggplant and peppers in 3-4 gal size containers, and think that was the problem dispite watering every day or so. Any recommendations? I'm in Northern Virginia.

Posted by: Weasel at January 28, 2017 01:25 PM (Sfs6o)

45 grammie winger at January 28, 2017 12:55 PM

Sounds lovely. And congratulations on the coming wedding.

Posted by: KT at January 28, 2017 01:26 PM (qahv/)

46 Do not touch my peonie and I won't Trump your Ace...on the OTHER HAND.....Casino Royale

Posted by: saf at January 28, 2017 01:27 PM (+zN6H)

47 PMRich at January 28, 2017 12:48 PM

I loved that photo, too. Some catalogs have really alluring photography.

Posted by: KT at January 28, 2017 01:27 PM (qahv/)

48 Weasel at January 28, 2017 12:56 PM

No peony as a child? Explains a lot about you. Heh.

Posted by: KT at January 28, 2017 01:31 PM (qahv/)

49 Big Fat Meanie at January 28, 2017 01:00 PM

Not acting like a La Nina year here, either.

Posted by: KT at January 28, 2017 01:33 PM (qahv/)

50 Oh, baby! That dropseed field looks like a thriving suburb for funnel-web spiders.

Posted by: Fritz at January 28, 2017 01:34 PM (FmNHR)

51 Fannie Farmer at January 28, 2017 01:01 PM

Sounds fun. Remember not to plant those peonies too deep!

Posted by: KT at January 28, 2017 01:34 PM (qahv/)

52 Intersectional Peoenies..if U say so.......I'm awaiting blooming bags of dicks in Palm Springs guarded by secretive pond scum and pollen Nation.......

Posted by: saf at January 28, 2017 01:35 PM (+zN6H)

53 CaliGirl at January 28, 2017 01:08 PM

I love the big, full David Austin roses, too. You should also be able to grow some of the magnificent old Tea Roses and such that are big enough to fill a tree.

When I lived in So Cal, I grew some single roses. Loved them, too.

Posted by: KT at January 28, 2017 01:37 PM (qahv/)

54 CaliGirl at January 28, 2017 01:04 PM

Wow. Glad nothing fell on your house. We didn't get as much rain as you did.

Posted by: KT at January 28, 2017 01:40 PM (qahv/)

55 I live at 7000 feet and intend to move still higher ... but peonies! They don't like the dry air, intense summer sun, cold as hell winters, and just about any Rockies weather.
Last year I planted ten peonies from pots. No flowers. They seemed to die down to the ground by the end of the year, before the frost, so perhaps, this year, none will survive. But I hope. I've seen peonies grow up here, quite well, actually, as long as they're protected from the mule deer which consider them confectionaries.

Nice blog, Ace. I love the plant and flower postings and share your POV on most everything, so far.

You're a keeper.

KR

Posted by: KR at January 28, 2017 01:40 PM (DvCQx)

56 CaliGirl at January 28, 2017 01:25 PM

A reminder to anyone out there who has a downed eucalyptus tree: Cut it up ASAP, before it dries out. Some species are REALLY hard once they dry.

Posted by: KT at January 28, 2017 01:42 PM (qahv/)

57 Pa just discovered the heaters in the greenhouse went out and all the overwinter plants died off during the big 10 day freeze. Like all good gardeners, he began figuring on how to start over. Guy is a plant wizard and may be able to figure a way to resuscitate some stuff just to stick it to Old Man Winter.

Note: never trust monitoring, always manually check.
(He is 87 so temps in the10's and 20's are hard to face)

Posted by: Headless Body of Agnew at January 28, 2017 01:43 PM (FtrY1)

58 Weasel at January 28, 2017 01:25 PM

3 - 4 gallons is on the small side for a big tomato plant. If that's what you will be using this season, you might stick to smaller determinate cultivars. Peppes should be OK in that size container, though.

The kind of potting mix you use and the availability of both air and water to the roots is important. Did you let the roots dry out some between watering them?

You might also try drilling holes in a plastic pipe and sinking it into the potting mix. Water and feed through it to get both water and air to the lower part of the pots. I have seen well-watered pots where the mix was dry in the middle.

Posted by: KT at January 28, 2017 01:47 PM (qahv/)

59 Love the Peonies. We have several clumps but only 2 colors: hot pink and pale pink. Don't know their names. Unfortunately, they don't last very long when cut for bouquets -- petals fall off within a day or so.

Built my own soil sifters using 1x2s, 2x2s, hardware cloth.

Made first frame with 2x2s: 30 by 36 inches, stapled on either 1/4-inch or 1/2-inch hardware cloth, then screwed on a second frame of 1x2s to sandwich the mesh. I painted the frames before assembly and staggered the frames' joints. Very sturdy.

I have several of these in both mesh sizes and they fit the sides of our wheelbarrow.

Great for sifting, drying the onions and hops, or protecting boxes of seedlings from the squirrels. (and dog!)

I've given some away to gardening friends, but might make up a few extras for yard sale or swap meet...

Posted by: JQ Flyover at January 28, 2017 01:49 PM (044Fx)

60 KR at January 28, 2017 01:40 PM

7,000 feet is high! Sounds like you could use a structure with, say 30% shade cloth, for protection from both the elements and from mule deer.

Do lilacs live up there?

Posted by: KT at January 28, 2017 01:51 PM (qahv/)

61 Anyone have suggestions for a potted jasmine plant that's really struggling?

I've had it for ages-- probably at least 15 years, maybe more, and after giving it a trim, it's reduced to a half dozen leaves and sticks.

Posted by: shibumi, who requires a cute kitty story stat! at January 28, 2017 01:52 PM (J5mC3)

62 KR at January 28, 2017 01:40 PM

Oh, clank! That's terrible. Kudos to your Dad for saving some plants.

Posted by: KT at January 28, 2017 01:53 PM (qahv/)

63 I appreciate the gardening thread and love peonies, although I struggle with them in my zone 7b/8a garden. My favorite source for plant and extensive information is:
http://www.peonysenvy.com/

They are running a special offer on intersectional peonies this week. Sign up for their emails to receive offers and updates. Wish I could time a visit to see their open gardens during their blooming season. Must be spectacular!

Happy Gardening to all!

Posted by: Just wondering at January 28, 2017 01:55 PM (YcuiH)

64 JQ Flyover at January 28, 2017 01:49 PM

The soil sifter over wheelbarrow design sounds great. Thanks for the directions.

Posted by: KT at January 28, 2017 01:56 PM (qahv/)

65 shibumi, who requires a cute kitty story stat! at January 28, 2017 01:52 PM

Be careful not to over-water while the plant has so few leaves. There's a product called Super Thrive that's supposed to help revive plants. Can't vouch for it.

Posted by: KT at January 28, 2017 01:58 PM (qahv/)

66 Every time I try to type in Peony my system freezes.... except for this time .. peony

Posted by: goon at January 28, 2017 02:00 PM (EaQ6/)

67 We live in a hot and dry region yet I have a burning ambition to grow peonies and hollyhocks. After several unsuccessful attempts this year I finally got hollyhocks to the stage where they flower.

Now for peonies, first attempt many years ago the plant died the first season. Second attempt the plant survived two seasons and then died off. The two current plants are in their third season but not very healthy and no flowers. The funny thing is that my mother who lives a few streets away got hers to flower one season and then they died off.

Posted by: Decaf at January 28, 2017 02:11 PM (WrEuY)

68 Parsley is a biennial, and will overwinter in temperate climates, grow quickly the following spring, send up pretty stems of flowers and go to seed, then die back. I plant a few more plants each spring, while letting the previous years plants self seed to keep a constant supply.
I keep parsley with pansies in pots on my deck, and it stays green and grows all winter. I pick a sprig every time I walk by. Parsley is very nutritious, and a good source of flavonoid and antioxidants. It also freshens your breath after a meal, which is a reason - besides looking pretty - you see it used as a garnish so often!

Posted by: Just wondering at January 28, 2017 02:13 PM (YcuiH)

69 Doesn't the guy in the first video sound exactly like Huell Howser?

Posted by: KT at January 28, 2017 02:14 PM (qahv/)

70 I like growing vegetables, but didn't have much luck
this year with tomatoes, eggplant and peppers in 3-4 gal size
containers, and think that was the problem dispite watering every day or
so. Any recommendations? I'm in Northern Virginia.

Posted by: Weasel at January 28, 2017 01:25 PM

Weasel, I agree w/KT that your containers seemed small. I've grown tomatoes in 5-gal buckets (apartment days!) but thought production was sub-par.

If I had to do it again, I'd use those big plastic bushel buckets-- the kind with rope handles, less than 10 bucks apiece (whenever I've seen them-- ace hardware, kmart, walmart etc...) Many colors available, very strong and would probably last several seasons before the plastic cracked.

Would drill drain holes in the bottom, line bottom with weedblocker to keep soil from washing out and set them on bricks or wood blocks. Fill with your preferred soil and plant.

Plenty of root space, but they would be extremely heavy, especially after watering.

Good luck!

Posted by: JQ Flyover at January 28, 2017 02:14 PM (044Fx)

71 Posted by: KT at January 28, 2017 01:47 PM (qahv/)
---------
Thanks KT. I will try those tips. I was pretty diligent about watering, but that doesn't mean things didn't dry out with such a small volume of soil. I like the watering tube idea and will try that, too. I order d a seed catalog and hope that will give me some ideas and options for different varieties.. Appreciate it!

Posted by: Weasel at January 28, 2017 02:17 PM (Sfs6o)

72 Posted by: JQ Flyover at January 28, 2017 02:14 PM (044Fx)
--------
Also good tips - thanks!

Posted by: Weasel at January 28, 2017 02:18 PM (Sfs6o)

73 Decaf at January 28, 2017 02:11 PM

Have you tried part shade for the peonies? If you don't get much winter chill, you might try putting ice cubes on the roots in winter. That's what Richard Nixon's aunt did in Whittier, CA.

What kind of difficulty did you have with hollyhocks?

Posted by: KT at January 28, 2017 02:19 PM (qahv/)

74 "I think that's why I love the David Austin roses, some of them kind of look like peonies."

-------

I have a lovely orange David Austin rose that I almost lost last summer when it was attacked by fungus.

Posted by: Decaf at January 28, 2017 02:20 PM (WrEuY)

75 We are going on a cruise around Japan in April for cherry blossom time. Will it be too early for peonies?

Posted by: Decaf at January 28, 2017 02:28 PM (WrEuY)

76 I love peonies. Both of my grandmothers had them in their gardens. My mom's mom had a border of creamy white ones, and when I visited in the summers I would pick them and bring them into the house, ants and all. She had a 14" glass bowl and would cut the stems short and float three of them in it. Then I'd pick the ants out of the water. I have that bowl now, but no garden and no peonies to float in it. Some day.

My dad's mom also had peonies, magenta, pink and white. When that old homestead was sold a few years ago, my cousin harvested the rhizomes with the blessing of the new owner. Most of them hadn't been divided for decades, so she has a bounty of them. If I ever own property again and can indulge myself in gardening, she's told me she'll be happy to share.

Regarding the sharing of perennials in general, that's my favorite way to acquire plants. Then, whenever I look at them, I'm reminded of the friend or relative who shared.

Posted by: Miley, the Duchess at January 28, 2017 02:32 PM (tHwdc)

77 "What kind of difficulty did you have with hollyhocks?"

-------

They wouldn't shoot up and stayed close to the ground. The current crop is three feet high with flowers so success. I have seen them over six feet in cooler climates.

Posted by: Decaf at January 28, 2017 02:33 PM (WrEuY)

78 The Trump hair picture and the nightmare reference brings Algernon Blackwood's The Willows to mind.

Posted by: Marlin at January 28, 2017 02:34 PM (K0DWI)

79 When I lived in Sweden, there was an old, falling-down house down the lane. Half-choked magenta peonies rose up out of the grass in the spring. I dug them up and planted them in my garden and thought of both of my grandmas.

Posted by: Miley, the Duchess at January 28, 2017 02:36 PM (tHwdc)

80 Hey, KT...David the Good of Compost Everything fame has another book out that deals with how to get plants to grow in colder climes than normal. It's called Push the Zone: the Good Guide to Growing Tropical Plants Beyond the Tropics.
http://tinyurl.com/jvdara9

If you want, I could contact him at his secret secure location and write up an interview for a future thread.

Posted by: Gordon at January 28, 2017 02:40 PM (GALxx)

81 Miley, I have cousins in Sweden and visit them every five years or so. They grow peonies and hollyhocks effortlessly, they would almost grow in a crack in the pavement there.

Posted by: Decaf at January 28, 2017 02:40 PM (WrEuY)

82 I am going to put in a real garden for the first
time this year. I will be attending this thread every week, looking for
ideas and info. Very excited!

Posted by: Popcorn at January 28, 2017 12:38 PM (tIeHC)

Allow me to enjoy your experience vicariously! What kind of climate do you have - will it be annuals, perennials, vegetables?

Posted by: Miley, the Duchess at January 28, 2017 02:41 PM (tHwdc)

83 Be careful not to over-water while the plant has so few leaves. There's a product called Super Thrive that's supposed to help revive plants. Can't vouch for it.
--

Thanks! I think I might have some of that-- I transplanted a bunch of shrubs a few years ago, and then we went into a drought. Never thought of using the product on the jasmine.

Posted by: shibumi, who requires a cute kitty story stat! at January 28, 2017 02:41 PM (J5mC3)

84 Why not show a picture refleectering Presdent Obama'g hair? Obvioussly the wensite does not care for persins of coler !!!!

Posted by: Mary Clogginstien from Brattleboro (Soon to be Obamaboro) Vt at January 28, 2017 12:42 PM (Fbj4h)

Well, Mary, the only outdoor image I can think of that reminds me of Presdent Obama's hair is the fire pit at my favorite camping venue, after it's been scraped clean for a fresh fire.

Posted by: Miley, the Duchess at January 28, 2017 02:43 PM (tHwdc)

85 Pin Oak and Live Oak trees out front, never did
fully shed leaves this season, and are already gaining new leaves and
budding new shoots n' branches.

Posted by: Jim at January 28, 2017 12:52 PM (v5iqM)

The oaks in Sweden used to hang onto their leaves until the new spring buds forced them off. I could never understand that. DROP AND GIVE ME WINTER!

Not that I'm a fan of winter. Or mowing the lawn. But it's nice to have one that has to be mown.

Posted by: Miley, the Duchess at January 28, 2017 02:50 PM (tHwdc)

86 Don't kill the ants on the peony buds. They are necessary for the blooming.

Posted by: Jinx the Cat at January 28, 2017 12:55 PM (80Uh3)

REALLY? How so?

Posted by: Miley, the Duchess at January 28, 2017 02:51 PM (tHwdc)

87 I've got a massive peony.

Thanks to Miracle Gro and genetics.

Posted by: Big Fat Meanie at January 28, 2017 12:55 PM (n3MnG)

I've heard the massive ones tend to flop over.

Posted by: Miley, the Duchess at January 28, 2017 02:52 PM (tHwdc)

88 My son is getting married in June,. His fiance will
have a peony bouquet, and the centerpieces are single peonies in a mason
jar.

Posted by: grammie winger at January 28, 2017 12:55 PM (bpfzP)

That sounds charming, grammie. Elemental. I regard peonies as a symbol of persistence and continuity, and the best possible symbol for a wedding.
My wedding bouquet and Mr. D's boutonniere contained alstromeria (his favorite), rosemary, and heather-like flowers.

Posted by: Miley, the Duchess at January 28, 2017 02:55 PM (tHwdc)

89 Did everyone make like a deciduous tree and leave?

Posted by: Miley, the Duchess at January 28, 2017 02:56 PM (tHwdc)

90 I always come back though out the day to see what everyone else is growing or planning

Posted by: Skip at January 28, 2017 03:00 PM (0AwCy)

91 Nood pet thread.

Posted by: PaleRider at January 28, 2017 03:02 PM (Jen0I)

92 Lol at Cloggenstein sock... bammy's hair reflected in nature? Hmmm.

Black Reindeer Moss.

Posted by: JQ Flyover at January 28, 2017 03:07 PM (044Fx)

93 For the Moron living above 7000 feet: There's a mail order outfit called High Country Gardens. The owner is fanatic about growing native, drought hardy flowers and bushes. He carries a nice selection of plants for higher elevation.

Unfortunately, my gardening days are pretty much behind me. With two dogs who trample anything planted in the actual ground, I can't do perennial beds any more. I try to keep a Black Knight butterfly bush going, although I've had to replace the damn thing twice. This is the current one's first winter, so I've got my fingers crossed. I'll trim it back lightly sometime in early spring. (I think I trimmed its predecessor too much, which killed it deader than a door knob.) I have a couple of super, heavy-duty garden metal garden edgers guarding it through the new growth period so the idiot mutts don't trample it to pieces. Out by the street, where the dogs don't go, I've got two Russian sages that attract every pollinators for miles in every direction, a couple of rudbeckia and a couple of purple salvia.

I have what I call my Garden of the Senses by the driveway -- elevated pots with sweet basil, lavender, sage, curry plant, rosemary and a couple other things. I just brush them with my hands to get all the beautiful smells.

I also have a tall pot for parsley as a swallow tail butterfly nursery.

Himself plants some tomatoes. I gave him a couple of the tomato bags from Gardner's Supply a couple years back so he has an easier time with weeds and general up keep. He also tries for various peppers, but evidently the pepper killer is strong with him.

Something else to talk about one Saturday -- what to plant to feed butterfly caterpillars and other wildlife. I always plant parsley, and I try to have stuff blooming for the Monarch migration in the fall.

Posted by: Deplorable lady with a deplorable basket of deplorable cats at January 28, 2017 03:54 PM (BIqBm)

94 Happy Chinese New Year of the Fire Rooster, from the old Rooster in Idaho's Banana Belt!

Not much to say. We had an inch of snow Monday and a dusting on Thursday morning, but the main stretch of my driveway is clear of snow and ice and I consider that a major victory. (Of course, at the *end* of the driveway is a 2" jump onto the polished street ice, so I check that nobody is coming in either direction as I exit my driveway!)

Though we've had 38" of snow by my count, a lot of it has melted or sublimed. I can see my raised beds out back, and they're only a foot high. I just checked on my potted Siberian Squill bulbs, and they will NOT be coming up early this year, because there's an inch of solid ice on top. I need to move them to a sunny spot - just as soon as I can get the pot loose from the cement!, where it's frozen in place.

My bird feeder was empty at day's end yesterday, and the birds don't feed at night, so I brought it in to wash and carefully dry, before refilling and putting it back out. Today the bottom perches fell out. Husband had a heck of a time getting it back together. But, now we know how it's assembled, and hopefully I can prevent it from falling apart again.

I'm going to add a plug here for donating blood, if you are eligible and able (or if you aren't, perhaps you can recruit others, or volunteer to drive a friend or relative). I did that at the Boise Red Cross office yesterday, and made my next appointment immediately after. The need for healthy donors is always there.

Also - please consider joining a marrow registry as well (or recruiting others to do so), particularly if you are age 18-40 (young marrow works better) and if you are part of an ethnic minority (marrow matches are linked to ethnicity in a way that blood types are not). I will age out of the system soon (there is a maximum age for donating), and am trying to think of places to suggest to others that they join the registry. If your local blood bank knows nothing about this, look online.

Thanks for the soapbox.
I offer a toast, to everyone having the best garden year ever!

Posted by: Pat* at January 28, 2017 03:54 PM (qC1ju)

95 Decaf at January 28, 2017 02:28 PM

No, it won't be too early. Tree peonies are blooming about now in some parts of Japan.

Sounds like a great trip.

Posted by: KT at January 28, 2017 03:57 PM (qahv/)

96 Just wondering: Thank you for the parsley info. Great hints.

Posted by: Mrs JTB at January 28, 2017 04:01 PM (V+03K)

97 Miley, the Duchess at January 28, 2017 02:32 PM

Beautiful thoughts and remembrances.

Posted by: KT at January 28, 2017 04:01 PM (qahv/)

98 Decaf at January 28, 2017 02:33 PM

There are both short and tall cultivars of hollyhocks. Most of the fancy tall ones are biennials - they bloom the second year. Next week, Maybe I can include a little hollyhock review in a post sometime soon.

Posted by: KT at January 28, 2017 04:04 PM (qahv/)

99 Gordon at January 28, 2017 02:40 PM

That would be great. I saw one of his YouTube videos on muscadine grapes.

Posted by: KT at January 28, 2017 04:06 PM (qahv/)

100 Late to thread but re peonies: the eyes shouldn't be planted deeper than about two inches. Too deep and it doesn't flower much or at all, can die off.

Posted by: Lirio100 at January 28, 2017 04:08 PM (JK7Jw)

101 Deplorable lady with a deplorable basket of deplorable cats at January 28, 2017 03:54 PM

Your garden sounds like tons of fun. What region are you in?

Posted by: KT at January 28, 2017 04:09 PM (qahv/)

102 Pat* at January 28, 2017 03:54 PM

Thanks for the update and the reminder about blood donation.

Posted by: KT at January 28, 2017 04:13 PM (qahv/)

103 KT, Just got home from some errands so forgive the late comment. Thanks to all for the advice on parsley and for the peony post. Mrs. JTB and I are both from the north (different states) and long established beds of peonies were common. They grow in northern Virginia but not as well. (I did learn to look for ants before cutting and bringing them into the house. That's a mistake you only make once.)

Posted by: JTB at January 28, 2017 04:29 PM (V+03K)

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