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Peonies - A New Old Favorite

 
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Just as fads in clothing come full circle, so has the attractiveness of the peony come to the attention of the gardener. We all remember our grandmothers growing peonies in their gardens. Peonies are becoming, once again, THE plants. There are hundreds of varieties from which to choose, and many colors that may surprise you. For instance, there is a bright yellow peony, Garden Treasure, which was hybridized by Don Hollingsworth and is just gorgeous. Of course, there have been purple, yellow and red tree peonies. But this one is a knockout. Peonies are herbaceous perennials that are easily grown in the garden. It does well in any soil as long as there is good drainage, as they do not like wet feet. Peonies should be in full sun and not planted too deep. If your peonies are just having a hard time coming up, you might want to check plant depth. They are fairly disease resistant and bug-free. (The ants you see on them are doing no harm.) Plants can be purchased in the spring at garden centers and roots will be available in the fall. Peonies should be dug up and separated about every 3-5 years in the fall after cutting the leaves a day or two prior to digging. Peonies can be enjoyed far after Memorial Day. Though the blooms last only a short time on the plant, they can be cut at bud stage and refrigerated for several weeks. Just shake off the ants and put them in the refrigerator and take out the stems you want every few days and put them in water. Peonies also make wonderful dried flowers. Be sure to put some peonies in your perennial beds. Grandma will love to see her OLD favorite NEW again.

Bannister Garden Center will hosts a Peony Festival each spring with a display of cut flowers from scores of varieties grown at their peony fields. 

Visit their website at www.peonies.net

Bannister Garden Center
10001 E. Bannister
Kansas City, MO 64134
(816) 763-4664
bgc11@mindspring.com

 


 

 

 
 

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