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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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