kousa said:Would love to see a pic of your experimental mixed peony bed, Csandt. My beds definitely need improvement.

I know this is not a very helpful photo, so I apologize, but it shows the right-hand portion of the new shrub border. This garden is still in its early stages. I planted the shrubs, liriope, peonies and poppies in 2014 and the butterfly bushes in the summer of 2015. My photos of the peonies and poppies all show individual flowers rather than a garden, because there wasn't much of a satisfying garden then (or now), but I was just glad that those plants were blooming in their first season. The peonies are marked with white 1/2 inch-wide PVC pipes in front of each plant in lieu of a more aesthetically pleasing solution to marking plants.

I spent more time than I had anticipated in the summer of 2015 just beating back the jungle/weeds that took over the garden.

The following photo shows some of the butterfly bushes (still very small). I have not yet planted liriope in this part of the garden but plan to do so as soon as cooler weather comes. The ugly brown stalks contain the poppy seeds (another project). The flat brown items in the back of the garden are huge pieces of cardboard covering the weeded ground until I can plant and/or mulch that part of the garden (yet another project).

csandt, that is going to be gorgeous! I do the same thing with the cardboard, gets rid of a lot of the weeds and attracts earthworms at the same time--win, win! I'm going to look for some butterfly bushes that aren't supposed to get too big and add them this fall. Wonderful ideas and love the gardens!

Tracey, I really never considered planting annuals, even putting out zinnia seed, but that would absolutely add so color later in the season. And that would solve the problem of late blooming perennials getting too big and crowding everything else.

Tracey and Csandt for your ideas and pics. Agree with Liz that zinnias sound like a perfect companion plants for peonies. I am looking for something that grow and get big around August, when peonies start to go dormant. I will definitely look into some mums and anemones. I have two right now but they are not placed in peony beds
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Csandt, I would never have thought of butterflies bushes but they do make wonderful backdrops for the peonies as shown by your bed (which looks fantastic by the way). I got a few this year and I absolutely love them. One of my favorite is Glass Slippers which has beautiful blue flowers.

kousa said: Tracey and Csandt for your ideas and pics. Agree with Liz that zinnias sound like a perfect companion plants for peonies. I am looking for something that grow and get big around August, when peonies start to go dormant. I will definitely look into some mums and anemones. I have two right now but they are not placed in peony beds
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Csandt, I would never have thought of butterflies bushes but they do make wonderful backdrops for the peonies as shown by your bed (which looks fantastic by the way). I got a few this year and I absolutely love them. One of my favorite is Glass Slippers which has beautiful blue flowers.



Glass Slippers looks beautiful! How big does it get? Butterfly bushes in the Buzz series grow to 4-5 ft. tall and wide.

I neglected to mention that some of the peonies in the oldest part of the new shrub border share the garden with Sedum 'Autumn Fire' which is about 2 1/2 ft. tall and about 3 ft. wide now. The buds have been green for most of the season, and they are just starting to take on their reddish color now. I've been told that 'Autumn Fire' is similar to 'Autumn Joy' but doesn't flop. I have both and haven't noticed problems with flopping. I have gradually come to appreciate this tall Sedum, and now it is a mainstay in my garden because it peaks late in the season and is trouble-free. However, it is starting to crowd the peonies.

I bought Glass Slippers bush in May and planted in July so mine is about a foot tall and a foot wide. I did not have time to plant it so it stayed in the quart pot for about 1.5 month. Was too busy killing Japanese Beetles. Anyway it is in the ground about 1.5 month and it is still about 1 ft tall and 1 ft wide. It is supposed to get to 3' tall and 3-4 ft wide according to Wayside Gardens which was where I bought from.

Anyone order from Brooks this year? Just received an email offer from them for peony seeds--anyone who orders and asks for them will receive some free with their order. If you've already made an order from them for the year and would like some included just email them. It's a first ask, first served offer so make sure you speak up if you're interested! I thought it was a pretty cool thing that they put it out there.....

Good information, Liz, especially for those who haven't tried starting peonies from seed. It sounds like a great opportunity.

I thought so, Tracey!

I'm late to this party! I'd planned to order Etched Salmon at that amazing price from Swenson's, but in waiting for my budget to allow for an order, the site said it had sold out. Got a bonus the other day and decided at the spur of the moment to go ahead and order a few peonies, and was thrilled to find Etched Salmon now listed as "in stock".....and for $25!!! Happy dance!

So I ended up ordering:
Etched Salmon
Toro No Maki
Leto
Rosedale
The Fawn

Liz, your going to have the most amazing and extensive peony garden!! Looking forward to your photos in the coming years!

CS, Love that garden- great design and assortment of plants!

All my beds are mixed- I have to see a progression of blooms throughout the season, otherwise I will ignore beds with no blooms. I know I shouldn't, and try not to, but if there's nothing blooming its like the bed is invisible to me. Then weeds get so out of hand its a real pain to get them back under control. I enjoy seeing peonies contrasting with other bloom forms too- the combo of peonies and irises is perfection to my eye!

Just found out I'm not getting my Parkland Perennials order this year....Bob sent an email saying he was having health issues and can't fill it. Hope he's better soon and back to selling beautiful roots next year. So my selections for the year are shorter by:
Amberglow, August Dessert, Avant Garde, Hargrove Hudson, Jeannot, Luetta Pfeiffer, Mme Jules Dessert, P. Caucasica, P. Veitchii var Woodwardii, Petite Elegence, Pillow Talk, Rose Shaylor, Salmon Glow and Unique. Sucks, one of my biggest orders. But at least I don't have to dig those holes.....

I am amazed and envious to read the lists of peony cultivars all of you are able to order (and hopefully plant)!

For me, alas, planting anything involves much more than digging a hole. It means digging out lots of rocks, sifting the dirt that clings to them, and mixing it with commercial planting mix.

I have been working for two growing seasons on a large (about 80' X 20') mixed shrub border that I want to finish edging with Liriope muscari before cold weather this year. I planted many peonies in this new garden last fall and must refrain this year or I will never finish the edging!

Please keep those lists coming! I love to read them and, even better, imagine your joy when the peony shoots emerge next spring.

Hi CS, isn't amazing the trouble gardeners will go through to be able to grow the plants we love? Sounds like you had an enormous amount of work to put in your border, I hope it turns out as amazing as you envisioned. Looking forward to more pics next spring to see how it's progressing.

Thanks Neal. I'm so looking forward to spring already. I thought I was done with ordering peonies but Harvey Buchite made a Facebook post that got me to look at the Hidden Springs website again and THEY HAVE INDEPENDENCE DAY OFFERED AGAIN!! I've watched for this one for 4 years. Added it to my fall order. So looking forward to that one; hope it will be worth all of the wait!

Oh my goodness, Liz! What a great last minute addition. Independence Day is SUPER GORGEOUS! I sure hope that you get a bloom from this one next year. I would LOVE to see it. I can see why it is sold out so fast. Sounds like a perfect striped peony.

I was SO excited to see it offered, Karen! I went on their website 1st day that they had their 2015 offerings, late in the evening though since I worked that day, and it was already listed as sold out. I'll definitely be posting pics, both of the roots when they arrive and blooms when I get them. Hopefully next spring but we'll see.....

It is a pretty peony. I'm glad the Kornder peonies are not lost. The story about its hybridizer breaks my heart.

Do tell Tracey, or point us to a link to read this story....

Here is the story about Tim. Tim bought out World renowned peony hybridizer Roger Anderson's peony stock when he sold his stock years ago. He had the world ahead of him. He took his own life.

Harvey (Hidden Springs) has some of his stock, so it was put into good hands.

http://m.startribune.com/lifes...

Thanks for the link Tracey, I enjoy the stories behind the people responsible for so many of the garden plants we enjoy today. Seems every plant has a story to tell.

Peonies, more than any plant it seems, have been given family names by the breeder. I think that is part of the history of peonies that is so unique. That and that the same plants that were around in the 1800s are still standing, growing and blooming.

If you want a good deal in buying s plant, buy a peony. You'll get a hundred years or more out of it!

Just added another rescued NOID. The neighbour wanted to get rid of all plants from his garden and invited me to give him some advice. When I got there, I found a big garden peony growing in full shade. There were still four dry blooms on the plant. I couldn’t tell the original color, except it is double. And then, I noticed a small peony, perhaps three or four feet from the big one. I cannot explain how the little one got there. The big peony does not seem to set seeds. I rescued both.