Yes, it's very fragrant. We could try dividing mine thus Fall if you'd like to try again. Mine is in a spot with a lot of sun and it drains well.

Another topic...Do you recognize what this might be? I took this picture because of the little green spider. I noticed one on my yellow Itoh and one on this peony which was supposed to be a Circus Circus.

Sorry, that's one that I don't recognize.

I got three blooms off mine so far. They were all face plants so I cut them off and put them in a vase. One more bud looks to be going but the rest are still closed up tight. The other two bushes do not look to be doing anything this year.

Came home to this today:

Close up of a blossom:

Oladon, those are really pretty!

Oladon, I want to guess it's Pink Dawn but I could be really off.

Mmmm12,

I like yours very much too!

gardenchloe, I think of all the ones posted here, they look closest to your Pink Dawn, but they aren't quite the same vibrant pink... much more muted. I don't know if that's just a factor of soil/plant or what, though.

Yours and mmmm12's are really pretty as well!

I have a few blooms to share but I think at least 2 are mis-id'ed. Looks like Salmon Dream and Rose Heart will be open before the end of the weekend as well. It'll start coming much faster now, probably 15-20 blooming this weekend, more the next, even more the next....

Funny that none of the tree peonies have opened yet other than Phoenix White. The rest are much smaller, only in the garden from 1-3 years, so not as established.

Regardless, if anyone wants to visit I'd think the 3rd weekend in June would be best, the 4th would be good as well but would have to be Sunday afternoon as we have a trip to the airport Sunday morning to drop off my mother and mother-in-law. Anyone who wants to come out just message me and I'll give address and directions if needed.

Anemoneflora Rosea

Wow lizbest! You have an amazing variety and they are all so pretty!

Looks great, Liz. I really like the Dawn Glow and its bee visitors. I'd love to come the 3rd weekend in June!

I love all of them, Liz. Here's another one that I got from you from the Fall swap in 2013. It didn't bloom the first two years but did well last year and this year. I'd like to tour your garden with popmama too.

I'll email you the address and directions if you need them, gardenchlos. I assume you,guys will ride out together? And I'll keep,updating so you'll know some of what's blooming!

Can't wait!

Yes, we will be riding together. I got the address. Keep us updated. Thank you!

Salmon Dream opened today as well as a few others...SD has a little bee friend!

Oh, I am in love with the two salmon ones. They are so beautiful!

Tell the others not to open until June 18. Haha!

I'll tell them, they don't listen well, though!

They didn't listen, Popmama, a few more are open now. Still tons that haven't, though!

Abalone Pearl

Manitowoc Maiden

Wow, so many pretty ones. I think my favorites in this batch are Commando for the puffy interior and regular exterior petals and Plena Rosea for the shredded look at the end of the petals.

I love that Abalone Pearl and the Cherry Luau so unusual! I look forward to visiting the ones that will wait.

I'm hoping some of the Itohs and trees will be open then as well, popmama. I have tons showing just a hint of color, should be timed about right!

mmmm12, Commando is a lot like Red Charm, just darker. Red Charm is out there somewhere as well but either no buds this year or just hasn't opened. And I like Plena Rosea better as it fades as well, so much more interesting to look at and almost like having 2 different plants. There are several hybrids with that characteristic as well, Coral Supreme, Coral Sunset and Joker immediately come to mind.

Liz

They are soooo beautiful. I feel pretty silly now because seeing your Abalone Pearl made me realize that the "Coral Charm" that I posted above is actually an Abalone Pearl. I might really need to start using plant tags since my memory doesn't work that well anymore. I, too, love that Cherry Luau and the red ones. I can't wait to tour your garden. I am excited to see them in different stages. Can't wait!!

I'm looking forward to the visit, gardenchloe and popmama! I'll be home all day on the 18th, just let me know when to expect you! Anyone else who wants to make the trek to Elizabeth is welcome as well, just message me and I'll give the address.

Gardenchloe, I think the one you posted above is Coral Charm, the one plant pic, right? Abalone Pearl is less full. If you bring a bit of the foliage we might be able to tell which one it is for sure, they're all slightly to grossly different.

Liz, here is the one I think is Abalone Pearl which several of us ordered couple of years ago.

The one below, I think is Coral Sunset that I got from you the following spring. Do you think they look right?

Not sure, gardenchloe--I THINK so but so many of the corals have similar foliage. I'll try to take pics from both of mine plus Coral Charm this evening and post so you can compare. We can also snap off a bit of foliage on Sunday and you can compare, might be easier to see similarities/differences.

Blooming today:

Bartzella

Wow. They are all beautiful. I can't wait for Sunday!

Hope you guys think it's worth the trip, looking forward to showing it to you! The very first of the foxtail lilies are starting to open as well so you can see those, too.

Lucky us! The plants do listen to us! I am sure it will be awesome!

I just love this thread, with all the pics and great advice!! I'm sure you will LOVE your visit to Liz's gardens, Popmama and Gardenchloe :) Have fun, and looking forward to your pics (hint hint)!

So sad to hear you are moving out of the RM area, Liz!! But at least we have you for a few more years before that happens. You are so wonderful to share so many of your plants with this group - I'm sure I'll be picking up more from you at future swaps!

I got one of your peonies at the fall swap last year, but seemed to have misplaced the name of it. I actually had forgotten about it until it came up this spring! It got one, very pretty, bloom on it - any chance you recognize it?

And my Abalone Pearl I planted in 2015 did very well this year with more blooms than last year. I neglected to take pics, however. Here's one for 2016.

I had two more plants come up but too tiny to bloom. Next year hopefully!

Question - I redid one of my flower beds where I have 3 peony plants. What I plan to do is add more soil on top as I'm making it into a raised bed - not a really deep one, but want to add probably about about another 5 inches of soil and then will top off with some mulch. Wondering if I should dig up the plants before doing so and replant, or if they'll be ok with the added soil on top of them? If need to replant, I'm thinking I should probably wait until fall?

Marj

Hi Marj--that red was from the one I brought to the swap for the dividing demo, right? It was sold as Karl Rosenfield but came from a source that is known for bad ID's. It looks right and blooms at the right time, though, so fairly comfortable sharing that name! And isn't Abalone Pearl a lovely bloom? Just wish I could have that shade blooming in the garden all season....

As for the raised beds, I'd lift the peonies and replant in the fall; having them that deep will negatively impact the flowers. Since you're adding that much soil I'd plant them so the eyes were an inch or so underground and mound around another inch or so over the top to make gently sloped little hills. They'll sink over the first year and the hills will be gone. I've made the mistake of planting deeper in new raised beds and have had roots rotted because the soil over them sank and puddles formed....

This has been a weird year for my garden. Several established peonies put no buds out at all this year but I've had more 1st year blooms than ever before. A few that were malingerers previous years are putting on amazing shows this season and plants that normally weathered the late snow storms with ease had blasted stems this year--look really bad but I don't want to cut back entirely until the fall since the leaves are still green. Oh the many joys of gardening, huh?

Thanks Liz! That's what I thought probably would be best, too. I hate to disturb them, but looks like it's better in the long run. I have some other plants in there as well: daylilies, red poppies, lemon balm, echinacea, and a hardy hibiscus. I probably need to do the same thing with all of them, except the hibiscus - it's pretty big, and I would think it would be ok with the added soil depth. The other plants should be pretty easy to dig up and replant. Was hoping not to have to do the additional work (as well as chance of harming them), but that's the joys you were talking about Liz - lol.

Yes, you did do a demo at that swap! The one I took wasn't one you divided, though, I don't believe - but was one of the others that you brought But will just go with Karl Rosenfield - it does look like it!

Thanks!

Anne Oveson

Mighty Moe

Silver Daubed

Truth

Wow! What an assortment. My favorites from this batch are Cactus Jack, Pompom, and Tom Eckhardt

Cactus Jack is one of my favorites as well, mmmm12! This is its 2nd spring in my garden, hoping it'll hit a big increase next year as it's only had 1 bloom both this spring and last.

Cactus Jack is definitely amazing. I had purchased a Circus Circus which would have been kinda similar but it was obviously a wrong root. Oh well. I took some pictures from Liz's garden. Here they are:

Here's one that Liz didn't know the name. I am in love with how the blooms fade. They start as a bright fuschia color then fade to this lighter pink with dark stripes. They are so unique!

Here is Flame. My single pink one from Liz three years ago is more pink. This one seems brighter and has a bit of coral tone. It's a beautiful color in the garden.

Liz was not sure of the name for this one either. The blooms were so bright and beautiful. I just love them.

This is a very unique one. I forgot the name. Liz, can you help please? =)

Pink Kisses. Beautiful blooms.

I know Liz shared a picture of Pom Pom above but I just love them

This one attracts me the way the color changes too. It starts with a pink bud (see the flower in the background) then opens up to be white.

Misaka

Wow, so many beautiful peonies!

The one with the really light pink edges and dark pink middle is Rose Heart, gardenchloe. So glad you guys were able to come out to see my garden! I've been busy with relatives in for a visit but will post more pics tomorrow or the next day, have a few more open now...

The pleasure was truly mine, Liz. You have the most beautiful setting and gardens.

It was an amazing tour. The food was great. Everyone (including the hummingbirds) was super cool and pleasant. I am so glad to have learned so much about peonies from you over the years, Liz. In the past, all I paid attention to were the blooms. Now, I enjoy seeing different foliages, different stages of the buds, how the blooms fade, how they tolerate different weather and surroundings. Even when I get the fungus on one, I am so curious to observe how it will respond to treatments. I also love how you mix other plants with peonies to get blooms in different times of the season. Like popmama said, I was in heaven.

PS. Chloe said she had the best time.

Peony season is over for me as well now--the hot weather this last week put the kibosh on my latest bloomers. Here are pics of the last to open this year.

Athelstane--very fragrant!

Pink Monarch