Its that time of year, when the weather is cooling down, and the soil conditions are about to be perfect for the fall planting of peonies.

Which peonies have you ordered this year, and who is your vendor?

I would love to see pictures of tubers received for fall planting.

Annette

Got a big order in from Gilbert Wild, this one is Luella Shaylor. Most were about this size with 6-8 eyes, only one smaller (Red Charm) with only 3 eyes. Also got a smaller order in from Swanson Gardens with Hillary, Shining Light and an unnamed Japanese Itoh that's supposed to have citron tinted flowers and blue green foliage. Didn't take any pictures of that order--hurriedly got them planted between rain showers, but all looked healthy. Waiting for orders from A & D, Contrary Mary's (first time ordering from them), Hillside Nursery, Fina, Song Sparrow, Hollingsworth, Select Plus, Solaris, Hidden Springs and Tree Peony Garden.

Fantastic Liz, you have a lot of plants coming! Your garden is going to be beautiful. Let me know who your favorite vendor is this year. I'm expecting my orders from Adelman's and Fina Gardens in the next few weeks😁

I have ordered Chocolate Soldier, Color Magnet and Green Lotus. I can't remember from whom. When they arrive I will post a picture and let you know the vendor.

I ordered Chocolate Soldier this year, too, Mary Stella! Found myself drawn to the darker colors. I have a few NOIDs in the front yard that did really well this spring and they're a really dark red, think they were my favorite blooms last spring. I've had Green Lotus for several years but it's never bloomed! Think it gets too much shade, it's one of several that I plan to move to sunnier areas this fall.

Annette, what have you ordered for fall that you're most excited about? I think my visit to the UofM peony garden and the gardens where the APS convention were held was my downfall this year--came home and ordered several that I was flip-flopping about because of the price (Pastelegance and Sonoma Halo) and fell in love with some I'd never had interest in from just pictures (Alice Harding tree and Pink Luau). If they'd had any of those for sale during the convention I'd have tried to bring them home in my carry on!

I'm really excited about my new purchases but I'm horrible about putting together gardens, wish I had your garden design talent. Your gardens are absolutely beautiful, Annette. Looking forward to next spring's pictures!

Thanks Liz😊😊

I have to say, I'm wild and reckless when it comes to gardening. Some of my color combos are just happy accidents. As I've matured, I'm now working on more " color echoes", an idea that I read about in the perennials forum. I'm plan on moving plants around the garden, combining those that accent each other with their leaves, textures, and colors.

I'm excited about the tree peonies that I have coming from Adelman's, Banquet (red), and Center Stage (white). I'm also looking forward to growing Pink Hawaiian Coral and Candy Heart coming from Fina Gardens.

I'll be moving my Itohs Pastel Splendor, Hillary and Cora Louise to my new peony bed that I did this spring. It's 50' x 4 ', along my back walkway.

Mary, I have Green Lotus from Brooks Gardens that was planted in December of 2012, it's remained small, but I did get 1 tiny bloom this past spring. Color Magnet and Chocolate Soildier are beautiful, I haven't grown those 2 before, I look forward to seeing your blooms.

I have received one peony so far (earlier this week, Paeonia x 'Abalone Pearl')

I am waiting for:

Paeonia l. 'Big Ben', Paeonia l. 'Do Tell', Paeonia l. 'Dr. Alexander Fleming', Paeonia l. 'Festiva Maxima', Paeonia l. 'Gay Paree', Paeonia l. 'Green Lotus', Paeonia l. 'Joker', Paeonia l. 'Mother's Choice', Paeonia l. 'Myra MacRae', Paeonia l. 'Raspberry Rumba', Paeonia l. 'Raspberry Sundae', Paeonia l. 'Red Charm', Paeonia l. 'Sorbet', Paeonia s. 'High Noon', Paeonia s. 'Kinkaku', Paeonia s. 'Lan Bao Shi', Paeonia x 'Henry Bockstoce', Paeonia x 'Coral Charm', Paeonia x 'The Mackinac Grand', Paeonia x (Itoh) 'Cora Louise', Paeonia x (Itoh) 'Court Jester', Paeonia x (Itoh) 'Hillary', Paeonia x P.s. x P.rockii 140009

I am ready:)

Great choicesFrank, what a nice selection!

I had to look up Court Jester--very unusual flower. You'll definitely have to report back on how you like it when it blooms and post pictures! You're going to have an amazing peony garden! Do you plant yours with other perennials or do a peony only bed? I love to see what other people do with the flowers I like....

Liz, I originally had all my peonies in one bed. Now I mix them in with other plants.

here's a link to the peony photos that I shot this year...

https://www.flickr.com/search/...

Got a large order from Gold City Flower Garden on Friday, planted them yesterday. Roots sizes were very similar to the huge ones from Fina, most had 7 or more eyes. I could've easily further divided several, did on a couple. This is Athena, representative of most of the roots received from GC, has 8 eyes.

Just looked at your peony pictures, Frank, lovely! You already have a wonderful selection even before fall's roots. I've also started putting peonies in mixed beds. They're absolutely wonderful when they're blooming but that sea of green plants after is just too boring! Using trial and error to get a mix of plants that bloom at different times or at least complement the blooms and have some variety in foliage. I'm sure I'll be working on it for the next several years!

Most of the literature and instructions from large commercial vendors say an excess number of eyes is a detriment to early growth and blooming. Not enough stored food in the roots to support the extra stems. Part of the reason they usually ship with 3 or fewer eyes but they also ship young clumps with the roots trimmed. You have a good opportunity to test the theory.

I'm having second thoughts about a few that I planted. I'm wondering if I should dig up and divide a few like Athena that would be pretty easy to get 2 generous clumps from. What do you all think?

Some photos of my peonies from Wild. No complaints.

They look really good, Frank! I order from GW every year; I actually really like them.

I just planted Shimane Cho Juraku (from A&D; a huge clump), a lavender tree peony, and Color Magnet from Hidden Springs. Still need to plant three more. I am exhausted. Had to empty a garden cart full of mulch and shovel the dirt from 10 potato bags from the front porch; scatter the dirt in a low spot full of weeds in my garden, then cut up cardboard and cover with wood chips. Ran out of chips. I guess the sawmill is still open so I will go get two or three more bags. Should have ordered a truck load.

Mary, congrats on getting some of your peonies planted. Mine haven't started to arrive yet. I'm glad to hear A&D sent a nice clump. I'll have to check them out.

That was quite a process that you went through today. Are you making a new bed? I made a new one this spring, just for the plants I ordered this fall.

Frank, those are nice looking tubers from Wilds, I didn't order from them this year, but many of my plants came from them when I 1st started growing peonies.

The bed was actually put in two summers ago (counting this summer) but due to circumstances I couldn't take care of it (or the rest of the garden for that matter) all summer and it became overgrown with weeds. So I decided that I would put down the cardboard and chips to cut down on the growth that had established roots. I dug and scraped as best I could but no way I could ever get all the rooted weeds out. By covering them and then preening in the spring I hope to have a decent looking garden. Plus I am now investigating having plants in pots that I can put on top of the chips between the larger plantings. Iris, lilies, geraniums, begonias, nasturtiums do really well under those conditions (pots). And I can move them or replant much more easily.

Got two more bags of chips today. So will continue the process while it is clear and crisp.