I almost put this post under Peony Blooms 2015 but thought better of it, would rather leave that one for beautiful pictures and everyone's reaction to them! Here we go:
So, for April we have what appears from the pictures to be two completely different gardening styles.
We have Jerry and graycrna4u who seem from the pictures to have masses of peony only beds. This style is absolutely stunning--when they're blooming it's almost overwhelming to see that many peonies at one time. I walked through a few huge peony gardens last year that were in that style and it is absolutely beautiful, certainly focus on the peony and all of the different varieties that way.
Then we have the style epitomized by Dianne and Annette with mixed plantings including quite a few peonies. Their combinations of plants is a very good example of doing this style of gardening correctly and I think that's an important factor--do it wrong and the focus on the jarring contrasts overshadows the beautiful flowers. Annette, you say you're a haphazard gardener. I say if you're haphazard then haphazard is my newest goal! Seriously, it normally takes quite a bit of planning and tweaking to get this right.
I don't have a huge preference for either style, actually think there is a place in my yard for both. I'd like to do a peony walk that includes my favorite peonies, maybe in 2 relatively short columns with a walkway in between so the focus is on the peonies only. And I'm already working on mass plantings where there is a combination of peonies and other flowers, mainly perennial, some that bloom with the peonies. I'll freely admit my combos are not as pretty yet as Dianne's and Annette's but I'm working on it! After seeing Annette's pictures this spring I'm going to find a way to work clematis into my garden, even if I have to put lattices up behind certain plants to give them area to climb (don't have fencing around most of my peonies).
What do all of you think? Do you have a marked preference for either style? Why? Did anyone/place/thing inspire your preference? My grandma had both types of beds. Mrs. Daisy Morgan (grandma to me) had a strictly practical side that materialized in an acre vegetable garden that fed several families, mine included. She canned and preserved anything not eaten fresh so prolifically that there was a huge pantry full of her jellies, jams, pickles and other goodies left when she passed away. Her plum jelly tasted better than any variety or brand that I've ever had and I remember my little brother as a child eating her bread and butter pickles by the gallon jar! She also took pride in her flower gardens though and worked on them continuously. Her gardens pretty much filled her yard and were full of anything she could find. She acquired plants pretty much everywhere she went and they all seemed to prosper under her care, regardless of whether they were supposed to survive in her growing zone! She was the primary gardener that inspired me so my lack of clear preference is a direct result of her influence. I think of her now and laugh--she would've loved the internet! She would've kept PawPaw running back and forth to the post office with all of her plant trades!
Let's discuss the topic! I'm stuck indoors today; we have rain pouring down and probably will for the next 18 hours so I'm bored. Anyone else out there want to play?
