I LOVE peonies! It’s hard to imagine their delicate blooms are actually pretty hardy, and the plant itself lasts for generations. I only wish the actual blooms lasted longer, but did you know you could get peonies with varying blooming times so they can be enjoyed all season long? I didn’t know that until recently, but I’m filing that little tidbit away for future reference.
I drove up to the cabin on Wednesday last week and on the way up I stopped at a few places and did a bit of damage at HomeGoods. ;). I spent a lot of time on Friday putzin’ around the house, trying peonies in various containers, some of which I had just purchased at HomeGoods and others I already had, but I think this is my favorite…
The relaxed and free form style of peonies lend themselves well to containers that are a bit rustic and less formal. Maybe a metal bucket, or a small barrel if you have one handy would be perfect. If you happen to have a container that isn’t waterproof, just put a regular vase inside of it and use that to hold the flowers. That’s what I did with the bucket and if I didn’t tell you would never have known.
Here’s a container that I also picked up at HomeGoods and did the same thing with. Some of the ‘flowers’ are silk that I bought at Michael’s on sale.
Both pitchers I picked up at HomeGoods. Told you I did some damage!
This vase was purchased at Ikea a few months ago and works well for blooms with long stems.
Another little red pitcher, also purchased at HomeGoods.
Peonies are easy to care for and despite neglect, can still produce beautiful blooms. I know, because I’ve done absolutely NOTHING to help them along and look at what I’ve got to show for it. Not bad,right? But I thought I’d send along some tips and pros and cons in case you want to try your hand at growing some.
The most popular type of peony is known as Herbaceous. There are also Tree Peonies, Intersectional Peonies and Woodland Herbaceous Peonies. I’ll be talking about the Herbaceous.
PROS:
- They’re beautiful. Nuf said
- They need little care
- They’re deer proof! That’s super important because our cabin is smack dab in the middle of deer country. If you’re interested in some shade loving, deer proof plants, check out this post for lots of suggestions.
- They make beautiful cut flower arrangements.
CONS:
- Ants love them. If you bring the full blooms into your home, you’ll most likely have ants. It’s best to cut them just before they bloom to avoid this.
- They need staking. I’m not a fan of how stakes look, but that’s just me.
- The blooming season doesn’t last long (just a few weeks)
BASIC CARE
Use fertilizer sparingly and keep fertilizer away from the crowns of the plants. Around 6″ to 18″ from the crown is a good place to add fertilizer.
During the first two years they need a good soaking at least once a week, especially if it is hot and there is no rain. Just be careful not to over water as they don’t like wet feet.
After peonies blooms are spent, deadhead the stems to the first set of leaves.
If you would like more info about peonies, you can just Google it, or check out this site which I think has lots of good info.
Do you love peonies as much as I do? What’s your favorite flower?
Angela says
I absolutely adore peonies!!! Do you think I can grow them in South Texas? I’ve certainly got the shade and the deer are out front so I’d probably plant in the back. I don’t think I’ve even seen them in the nurseries. So beautiful, so envious!!!~~Angela
Doreen@househoneys says
I don’t think so Angela :(. I think peonies actually need a climate that has some semblance of a winter. That’s probably why you haven’t seen them at your local nurseries.
But no worries. You’re going to buy the house near our cabin and then you can grow peonies till your hearts desire :).
Patty Lucas says
I love peonies too but I don’t like the fact that they die back in the winter and it looks so empty where they are planted. I changed things around this year and I will wait and see what happens in the winter. Thanks for the info.
Diane Massey, Broker/Realtor, Berkshires & Hilltowns says
Beautiful photos. I don’t have any peonies in my garden. Can you say trip to the nursery!
Denise says
A few years ago, my husband planted one garden of tree peonies and another of herbaceous peonies. Every year we get more and more blooms. They are stunning. We wait in anticipation when we see all the buds and are never disappointed in the show they produce.
Doreen@househoneys says
Tree peonies are so pretty Denise! No wonder you look forward to it every year. Hope all is well!
Vashti Quiroz-Vega says
Thank you so much for this info Doreen. Peonies are one of my favorite flowers. 😀
Doreen@househoneys says
You’re so welcome Vashti! They really are a marvel of nature! Thanks for stopping by 🙂
Cynthia says
Doreen,
Thanks so much for this information. I love Peonies and couldn’t plant them where we lived but I was planning on it for the new house. I didn’t know that much about them and now I have everything I need! I will file this away for the future for sure. Thanks girlfriend.
Cynthia