peonies,peonies and more peonies

Catherine Louise

2011-12-26T12:50:00.000-08:00

Catherine Louise

Seedpod of Catherine Louise

Catherine Louise,(Menard/D'Aoust March 2006), Herbaceous Hybrid, White, 40", Early
Catherine Louise is a waxy white bloom with distinctive deep red stigmas, filaments, petioles and stems that accentuate the bloom. |Excellent green foliage.

This is an excellent Canadian introduction that was registered by Menard before his death in
2002. This was plant was named for his granddaughter, Catherine Louise Menard.

John Elisha Simkins (May 13, 1919 - September 18, 2011)

2011-09-21T21:10:00.000-07:00

It is with a great sense of loss that we are informed of the passing of the founder of the Canadian Peony Society.

After a long and wonderful life, John Elisha Simkins died peacefully on September 18, 2011 at his home in Oakville at the age of 92.

John was the beloved husband of Violet for 65 years, father of Jon, Jennifer (King), and Janice (Thomson, deceased), and the grandfather of Rachel, Heather, and Miki. He is survived by brother Ted and sister Peggy (Martin) and predeceased by his twin brother Ernie.
John was born in Measham, England in 1919 and moved to Hamilton, Ontario in 1927 where he attended Delta High School. During World War II, he served with the Royal Canadian Infantry in Europe, rising to the rank of Major. In 1949, he and Violet wed in Hamilton. Soon after, John graduated with honours from McMaster University and was employed by Shell Oil Canada as a chemist in Montreal. In 1961, the now growing family moved to Oakville.
John was a passionate gardener and was world-renowned as an author, speaker, and hybridizer of peonies. He was a member of the Garden Writers Association of America, served as president of the American Peony Society, and founded the Canadian Peony Society. He also wrote regular articles for many horticultural publications, including a column for the local paper. He served on the board of the Royal Botanical Gardens and held many roles in the Oakville and Ontario Horticultural associations. He was also recognized as an outstanding volunteer in the community and a life-long and active member of St. Jude's Anglican Church.
Visitation will be held at the Kopriva Taylor Community Funeral Home on Wednesday from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9. The funeral service will be held Thursday September 22 at 11:00am, St. Jude's Anglican Church, 160 William St., Oakville.

7th Annual Peony Festival and CPS Ontario Peony Show

2011-06-11T18:06:00.000-07:00

It was a cloudy day before heading out, but, a quick check of the weather promised to stave off any rain until early evening. (Let's hope)
We hope to make this an every year event. So mark it on the calendar and get those blooms in for the competition. It could be the biggest show of the year with your support.
Traffic was light heading from Brampton to Oshawa and we made it with 10 minutes to spare. Brian and I went into the arena and were given our instructions for the clerking and recording. We beat the judges (barely) so we had a few moments to orient ourselves. The judge was fun, entertaining and informative. We had a few classes that had to be rejudged in the beginning due to added entries but everything went smoothly and we were ready for the Councillor when the main event happened at 11:00am.


These are some of the beautiful displays for competition entered in this years Flower Show

We had a silent auction on the far side of the arena and this was slow to start but as the day progressed each peony offered (5= 2 potted, 3 bare root) had bids. Brian and I were to go outside and volunteer at the booth on the grounds but the inside booth had no one so we were placed here for the day. Mid afternoon the skies opened up and we had a heavy downpour and strong winds. Everyone outside came inside and we were bombarded with people and questions and seed selling. We had a fantastic time talking with like minded enthusiastic individuals and were glad to help out so many.

Our day ended at 4pm and during a conversation with Judi about the event found out that we had few if any volunteers for Sunday . Brian offered our services and so we will be back tomorrow.

Red and White P. Suffruiticosa

2011-06-04T16:46:00.000-07:00

I have a white tree peony in the lower level of the yard and a pink tree peony of the hill. Both seem to be doing quite well. I have a few others but have yet to have any blooms on them. Maybe next year.

Lil' Sweetie

2011-06-03T16:38:00.000-07:00

L. Lil' Sweetie

LIL' SWEETIE (Krekler-Klehm),Single, 26", Very early,
One of the earliest peonies to bloom. Finely cut leaves showing its tenuifolia parentage. Single, cup-shaped fire-engine red blooms. This peony is a great addition to the border leaving behind a wonderful foliage backdrop for some of your low growing perennial ground covers or with later blooming spring bulbs.

Mystery John Simkins

2011-06-02T16:29:00.000-07:00

Mystery root JS Yellow

I received this roots from Mrs. Simkins last year. She couldn't remember what the name was and no longer remembered where the list of roots was kept ( maybe at the RBG in Hamilton?) . She asked that I take it and if any others were found to donate to the CPS members for the root sale.
It is a very pale yellow, single.

Cora Louise

2011-06-01T16:21:00.000-07:00

Intersectional Hybrid "Cora Louise"

Cora Louise (Roger F. Anderson), Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin, 1986. Itoh, Double,24" Mid.

Seedling #A80-02. First bloomed 1984.
Parentage, double white lactiflora x Reath hybrid tree.
Pure white double with lavender flares flat in form, reliable with average amount of bloom on good strong stems, dark green foliage.No pollen or seeds. Some fragrance.

2011-05-31T18:22:00.000-07:00

Illini Belle
(P. lactiflora x P. offiinalis) Ruby red, 32", semi double, Early (Glasscock 1941)
Pronounced Ill-li-ni, this semi double hybrid has symmetrical ruby red blooms, purple stamen filaments and pale green carpels with pink stigmata. Requires staking

Burma Ruby Bright red, 28" single, early (Glasscock 1951)
Tulip shaped buds with enticing fragrance, red blooms in spring with green foliage.

2011-05-30T15:55:00.000-07:00

Starlight

Smouthi

Tree Peony Red

Claire de Lune,

Peter Barr

P. Smouthi

2011-05-29T17:51:00.000-07:00

SMOUTHII (France 1845) HH, red, single, very early, 36" (tenuifolia x lactiflora)
This herbaceous hybrid with bright scarlet blooms flower very early, just a few days before Tenuifolia, but is distinctly different from the Chinese varieties and is not as hard to propagate. Cut leaf foliage looks good even after blooming making a wonderful border plant.

P. Suffruiticosa

2011-05-28T16:16:00.000-07:00

I received this tree years ago from a family member purchased from one of those boxes you get at the store in the fall. It took a couple of years to give a flower and then two years ago it started give multiple blooms. I can't wait to see what next year brings.

2011-05-22T10:28:00.000-07:00

Halycon has finally bloomed. This peony has been in the yard for a few years and with exception to the year I bought has not bloomed until now. It gave me 3 flowers. Welcome back!!

Mlokoslewitchii / Veitchii cross is a new addition. A friend through the CPS gave me this cross he hybridized for a garden I am working on with Peel Teaching Garden. The blooms are tiny and so is the plant standing about 10". I believe it will get taller as it gets older.

Mlokoslewitchii has been in the garden since 2005 and I was originally disapointed to find that I had the pink variety. Since I have been enamoured with the way it grows and the colour in the blooms.

Veitchii is a new acquisition that bloomed its first year. Its tiny nodding blooms make this an excellent peony for rock gardens and small yards. Remember to put it in the front of your border.

The Blooms have started for 2011

2011-05-18T10:21:00.000-07:00

I have been anticipating this years blooms with bated breath. At last count I now have 150 peonies in various stages in the yard and despite the rain, which is making everything bloom about 2 weeks behind, it all looks very promising.

As if to herald in the spring P.tenuifolia single and Species "Mollis" start off the parade of blooms.

P. tenuifolia single red, 8 to 10", single, early (Species)
This fernleaf single has identical foliage to the double fernleaf except it has masses of single red blooms. It is among one of the first to bloom in spring.

Species "Mollis" pink, 30", very early, single (Species)
This possible hybrid has been known since 1818 and is still in cultivation. It has simple pink flowers that are cup shaped and give the impression they are sitting on top of the foliage.

To round off the day Little Red Gem made an appearance.

Little Red Gem Red, 15", single, very early (Reath G-9, 1988)
One of the first to open this fern leaf foliage forms an attractive low mound over small single red blooms. Strong and disease resistant this plant is only 15" tall.

Gift of a Tree Peony

2010-09-26T16:35:00.000-07:00

Two new additions to the garden this year, gifts I will treasure for a long time ......

Marie Laurencin

Age of Gold

Photo's from http://www.paeo.de/

2010-07-27T05:57:00.000-07:00

Gill #18 This is a currently unidentified peony from the Wally Gilbert collection.

Seeds

2010-07-25T13:29:00.000-07:00

People have asked me, "Where are the seeds on the peony plant?"

The simple answer is, after the plant has finished blooming many cut off the spent flower during there cleanup and have lost the seed head. If you leave the plant shortly after the flowers are finished it will slowly start to grow this fuzzy 3 pronged capsule, inside each if fertilized will be a number of fat seeds.

Around mid July to early August you should start to see some of these fuzzy capsules splitting and little black, or blue balls inside. These are your seeds. Collect the seeds as soon as the pods begin to open (The harder the outer shell, the longer the first dormancy period) Using barely moist vermiculite or soil less seed mix place your seeds into a sealed plastic bag.
Place bags in a warm area of the house (not in the sun), check them every week to see if roots have emerged and ensure they are still moist (but not wet!) Roots can take anywhere from a few weeks to several months.
When roots appear and are about 2.5 cm or 1 inch in length, place them in the fridge. This is their cold period. Leave them for about 10-12 weeks, checking to see if any shoots have appeared. As soon as you see a shoot remove from fridge and pot in a soil less mix. At the 12 week stage remove partially germinated seed and pot them.
If you can, (weather permits) place them in a cold frame outside or under lights until March / April. Do not over water. Transfer outside as you would tender seedlings, making sure to have them all out in a seed bed by late summer.

Growing from seed is very time consuming taking up to 5 years for your first flower to appear. Even after this your first blooms may not convey the end result of your plant. It may take 7 years before you see the true flowers on a mature plant.

You could also sow your seed directly in the ground where natural temps provide the dormancy and growth conditions required. You may have to wait until the second spring before you see shoots. (Delay is precipitated by a hard seed coat not having enough time in fall to overcome first dormancy)

Seed sits in soil until following spring, bringing warm moist conditions to break first dormancy.
Near the end of summer roots should be produced.
Over winter seeds overcome second dormancy before producing a shoot the next spring.

Give it a try and see what happens!! I have several that should give me blooms sometime in the next year or two.

CPS Root Sale

2010-07-23T11:52:00.001-07:00

I have compiled the list for this years offerings to the CPS masses and am always surprised by the quantity and diversity of what members have in their possessions. 20 roots in this years sale are being offered for the first time and I cannot wait for the CPS members to receive the lists and the requests to start pouring in.
'Sweet Melody'

'Stellar Charm'

Both of these are being offered by one of the CPS members and in the root sale for the first time.

The newsletter may go out a little late this month due to translating issues but it will go out.

Both photos courtesy of Hollingsworth Peonies

2010-07-15T10:34:00.000-07:00

Spent another morning at the Simkins home. Vi was out today so we missed them both. Hubby and I spent a couple of hours removing peony roots from the back of the home. Still plenty left behind. And we removed a couple of yellow's that Vi said to take for myself. Loaded the trunk and a couple of buckets in the back seat. It's already 12pm and its sooooo hot. We packed up and headed home. I left a note in the door thanking them for the roots with my mailing address. Vi had said she wanted to send me some seeds if they were ready before they moved. She has also stated that she wanted me to come back if Sheridan didn't take any. I should hear from her in August or September.(or sooner if they sell)
Hubby and I arrived home at 12:30 cleaned up, had something to eat, relaxed for a bit.
Put the car in the garage with the trunk lid up to help the roots stay cool. Had a couple of blue boxes in the back in the shade. After a small break I headed into the yard to pot up some of the smaller roots and Hubby entertained his dad, who popped in with a 3 tiered plant stand he found and stayed for a beer.
About 5:10pm I came back inside to get dinner going and found hubby napping on the couch. Sat down to do some things on the computer and 20 minutes later we were eating left overs.
After the dinner cleanup we sat and talked for a bit and then loaded the car and headed off to PTG for the peony roots final resting place before identifying and shipping to CPS members. (They will grow here for a year or two) We arrived at PTG at 6:40pm and finished planting at 8:45pm. Alan gave me a row to put this batch into. We put in 61 roots and a couple of very young hosta plants. Stopped on the way out and took some pictures of the hemerocallis blooming in the front beds along the building.
We arrived home just as the sky started to open up, spitting little droplets but not quite making it rain. Put away a few things, loaded the washing machine and headed for the shower.

Time to put up our collective feet and relax for a few days. Hubby and I will be heading up to a friends cottage for a couple of days. We hear the lake is a balmy 28 deg C (81 deg F).

2010-07-14T10:28:00.000-07:00

Arrived at the Simkins home at 9:45am. They were getting ready to go to the doctors, shopping etc. for the day. Left the back door open so we had access to the bathroom and water if needed. (Very trusting people)
We set off clearing the weeds from the back of the property. I checked for peonies and hand cleared anything around them, Hubby came by with the grass whipper clearing the rest. By 1:40pm we had the back porch, back of the property and one of the larger beds cleared of weeds. We had dug several roots (50) and loaded the car.
The Simkins arrived home about 1pm and were astonished at what had been accomplished. Mrs (Vi) Simkins took me on a tour of the front yard to show me a couple of roots she thinks I should have for myself. Sheridan if/when they come by are to take everything in the front but Vi would also like me to have a piece of a very large yellow tree, which she will have Sheridan split and leave a piece behind.
I thanked her for their generosity, and told them that we would be back tomorrow to finish the cleanup and dig up any of the others we could find and had the energy to dig.

When we got home we unloaded the car taking everything to the back in the shade, Hubby had a shower, and I headed for the greenhouse to pot up seedlings. Came inside had several cold drinks and sat for a few moments. Kids were both home and talking like crazy about what was going on with them.
We had dinner, hubby ordered pizza, then loaded the car with the roots and headed for PTG to plant. We put in 67 roots after dividing some of the larger ones into a row close to other peonies. I will let Alan know and ask for another row in the block for the load that will be brought up tomorrow. We finished planting and watered packing it up by 9:10pm.
Finally, home for the evening I showered and sat down to check my email,blog etc. then at 10:30 crawled into bed and watched a 1/2 hour of TV before slowly drifting off to do it all over again tomorrow. Thanks to hubby for all the help and taking time off work to be there for me.

Stellar Charm

2010-07-13T17:20:00.001-07:00

Stellar Charm, Lactiflora, Anemone Bomb, White, 40", Early Mid to Mid
Seedling#1822 First bloomed about 1989.
Opague milky white, guard petals cupped. Centre segments clear yellow when staminode/petalode form or narrow white petals, forms often both present in
same flower, colors mixed. Flower a symmetrical bowl, Carpels off white
stigmas white. Seeds easily

Photo from: Hollingsworth

Meeting the Founder of CPS

2010-07-11T10:29:00.000-07:00

Mr & Mrs John Simkins

Mr Simkins (John) is one of the founding members of the Canadian Peony Society. Hubby and I were given the opportunity to meet the man and his wife. We arrived at their home at 2:20pm and Mrs. Simkins (Vi) was at the door to greet us. She gave us the grand tour of their yard, showing hubby and I where the roots use to grow, the beehives use to be, the greenhouse stood here and so on.

John had a fall in the yard last week and couldn't get up. They had to call emergency services for help. He was okay but at 6 foot something John is not an easy man to maneuver. Vi is extremely concerned, as anyone would be when you have past 90 years of age, celebrating their 64th Wedding Anniversary next month and still living in their home. They have some outside help for John but family and friends have now convinced them it is time to look for other living arrangements. All of this means that over the last little while they have been giving peonies away to various groups. The church took most of the backyard in 2008 & 2009 to sell at spring plant sales. A few friends received specific plants, their children (a son and daughter)have or will receive a few roots, Sheridan Nurseries will be taking the front yard. John tells me that Sheridan worked in conjunction with John on the hybridizing project supplying land to grow them. When I called several weeks ago to find out how they were and if the CPS Root Sale could acquire anything, Val Hosty made the trip to find out, I was told that we could have anything from the front so I had Val take some pictures of anything that was still blooming. When I called and set up a time to come by Vi informed me that we could have anything we could find still growing in the back or left behind. The yard had become overgrown and would need a keen eye to find them but that shouldn't be a problem. We arrived with garden tools in tow with the intent of helping her weed and tidy up, to take stalk of what we might be able to have and to tag for later pick up. Hubby and I started clearing a lot of weeds and overgrown plants finding little treasures at almost every turn. 45 minutes into the work the sky thumped and turned black and after a quick clean up, putting everything into the car and closing the windows, the sky opened up dumping buckets of rain in an instant. We said goodbye to the Simkins making a promise to back later in the week to help more. This time we will bring buckets, bags and anything else we can think of to make the work a little more pleasant.

Mystery Peonies

2010-06-30T19:17:00.000-07:00

We have started a Mystery section for the CPS root sale. Sometimes donors have beautiful blooms but no longer know the name of the root. We offer these as Mystery roots and it gives the members an opportunity to share.

sidebuds, week 5 slight fragrance pink

Sidebuds, Week 5 fragrance, white with pale pink blush, best when staked

Photos by Chris C.

Drying Peonies

2010-05-11T11:31:00.001-07:00

For the first time I have decided to try drying peonies. Blooms last such a short time and with the way weather has been this year enjoying them will be even shorter.
I have taken some silica gel and placed a small layer in a container, carefully I placed a bloom of Little Red Gem with the stem poking into the gel. I then slowly filled the container with more silica gel until the bloom is completely covered. I will wait 3-5 days before removing. If it turns out well I will try a few more blooms. These will make a nice addition to the displays at some of our flower shows.

2010-05-05T15:08:00.000-07:00

Little Red Gem, (Reath 1988, Red, 20", single, very early
Delicate blooms on nicely rounded plant with filigree, cut leaf foliage.
This was added to my collection in 2000 and purchased from La Pivoinerie D'Aoust operating out of Quebec, Canada.

2010-05-04T14:58:00.000-07:00

I purchased Peter Barr from Parkland Perennials in 2001. Single bright crimson hybrid with cut leaf foliage. Blooms are early and is highly fragrant.

Per Brian Porter of the CPS (2004)
Peter Barr (not registered by APS). I believe in the past some authors have attributed Peter Barr to P. anomala, but think that is an error. In my garden it is nearly identical to Smouthii. I suppose it is possible that mine and that sold in Canada is not authentic. In any case, what I grow as Peter Barr appears to be a P. tenuifolia hybrid. The blooming period coincides with Smouthii and I believe the fragrance is similar. (My Smouthii was purchased from Smirnow in New York).

Peter Barr is possibly an historical cultivar of uncertain origin. According to some this group of cultivars are mainly extinct, but, had been used for breeding in the past.

2010-04-27T11:25:00.000-07:00

Let's hope that after fernleaf the rest take it a little more slowly or I will have everything blooming and done with little time to enjoy. The rest of the garden is either out of the ground and steadily growing or already in bud waiting for the next chunk of heat to break out and show off their beauty.

2010-04-26T11:21:00.000-07:00

Another bloom season begins. Despite the cooler temps over the last few days the several days of warm weather has set the buds at least a week or two early and Mollis opened today.

2010-03-20T17:31:00.000-07:00

Germinating Peony Seeds

Peonies do not come true from seed. You must have named cultivars propagated vegetatively to retain their cultivar name. Some seedlings may resemble their parents, but they are not identical.

Seeds collected from species plants have an inherent variability within the population and not all are exactly alike, even in nature. Be aware that species plants grown in the garden are subject to cross pollination with other peonies that may be in bloom at the same time, but otherwise, plants grown from species seeds remain species plants.

Peony seeds can be started indoors, but, it's rather involved and it has to be started in the fall to get the timing right for planting sprouted seeldings in the spring.

By late winter it is much better to delay starting peony seeds until mid-June, perhaps as late as mid-July. The reason for this is that peony seeds have a stepped approach to germination which has evolved to maximize sprouted seeds emerging in the srping whwen they have the best chance for survival. Seeds need a lengthy warm moist period after which the root starts to grow with the onset of fall weather. The cold of winter is needed to break down barriers which otherwise prevent initiation of shoot growth. This sequence of environmental factors must occur in that order, or the seeds will not grow.

The process:
In mid-June to mid-July soak the seeds in water for up to four days. Seeds which sink are considered sound and should germinate for you. Seeds which never sink are usually hollow, and not viable.

Plant out in garden, or in a cold frame, 1" deep, 4" to 6" apart.

Water to dampen the soil and avoid letting it dry out, but, don't keep it constantly wet either.

It is best to cover the seeded area to conserve moisture, to mark the spot, and to protect against animals digging them up. They won't show above ground growth until the spring anyway, so covering won't bother them. Use a board or flat rock or something similar.

Remember to remove the covering as early as you can in the spring.

Successful Gardening Day 2

2010-03-19T14:27:00.000-07:00

At Successful Gardening again today. We had a bit of excitement first thing after opening when a strange bell rang every few minutes. It sounded like someone was going to announce something but no announcement came. After several minutes a young security guard was rushing around telling people we had to evacuate because the bell was the fire alarm. Several visitors to the show scurried toward the exit to find out what was going on. 10 minutes later when most of us hadn't moved an announcement rang out that it was a false alarm and to please return and ignor the bell until it could be shut off. After the quick sun break visitors rushed back in and we were in full swing. The show was definately busier today. Many wanted to buy seeds and were fascinated that peonies could be grown from seed. We have people who want to know how they can have more ants to open up the peonies quicker. This is a myth: Peonies do not need ants to open, ants are attracted by the sweet sap secreted from the buds. Ants do not harm peonies, but, they don't help them either. Brian called me at 4:10pm and by 4:25pm I was on my way home. Overall a very pleasurable day. To bad there weren't more volunteers to help at the booth and learn from.

Successful Gardening Show

2010-03-18T14:25:00.000-07:00

Today I have volunteered to help at the Successful Gardening Show at the International Centre in Malton. We didn't get as many volunteers for this show so I will be doing a double shift today. Hubby has offered to meet me after work and volunteer for the night shift. It was alot of fun having him beside me. He enjoyed talking with people at and around the booth. We had a steady stream of traffic and some lulls but the questions, interest and love were all the same. Peony enthusiasts either by shovel or armchair are all the same.

Canada Blooms

2010-03-17T18:54:00.000-07:00

Working at the Canadian Peony Society booth at Canada Blooms is alot of fun. I met many people with many questions and of course the ooohs and aaaahs of "Oh aren't they just a beautiful flower!"
Part of volunteering also means you get to meet some members for the first time or re-acquaint yourself with members you haven't seen since the last show. This year there was a Peony Nursery, newly starting up, from New Jersey selling roots in the Marketplace. The shock was that they were selling many roots and telling people that they needed to be planted now. (I don't know about you but I still have frost in the ground) The best time to plant these bare-rooted plants is in the fall.

A first time question for me from a visitor was that she had a grafted tree peony and she believed that the root was now growing from the grafted part. "What should I do with the tree?" "Should I leave it?" "Cut out the grafted part?" What do you think? Well I thought about it for a minute and told her that she had two options. #1 is to cut the grafted root everytime it pops out of the soil and it will eventually die or #2 dig up the root and check to see if the tree has grown its own root system if it has remove the grafted root.

Tomorrow I am at the Successful Gardening Show in Malton.

Garden Shows

2010-03-15T09:38:00.000-07:00

Come and join us at Canada Blooms and The Successful Gardening Show this week.

Canada Blooms: www.canadablooms.com
Direct Energy Building - Exhibition Place Hall A & B
Wednesday March 17 to Saturday March 20, 2010 10am to 8pm
Sunday March 21, 2010 10am to 6pm

Adult $18
Grp Rate 20+ $14
Student (13 - 18) $16
Senior (65+) $16
RBC After 5 pm Rate $14
Two Day Ticket $25
Early Morning Tours $40 (W/T/F/Sa)
Preview Party $75

The Flower & Garden Festival invites you to visit a paradise bursting with six acres of stunning gardens in full bloom, more than 100,000 square feet of green thumb shopping and more at Canada's largest and most prestigious flower and garden festival.

Interested in learning more about gardening? With four different stages going non-stop, the show offers over 200 hours of seminars, workshops and demonstrations in five days from some of the best garden experts in North America included in your admission to Canada Blooms.

Need a little inspiration or looking for ideas? Over twenty dazzling and unique display gardens are designed and built by the best of the best!

Successful Gardening Show:
Toronto International Centre 6900 Airport Road, Mississauga, ON
Hall 3 Entrance
Telephone: 905.677.6131
Toll Free: 800.567.1199

Wednesday March 18, 2010 to Saturday March 20, 2010 10am to 8pm
Sunday March 21, 2010 10am to 6pm

Admission:
Adults: $14.00
Seniors: $10.00
Youths (9-18): $10.00
Children 8 & under Free

Event Profile
Successful Gardening Show offers an opportunity to meet local and international suppliers, discover innovative new products, and learn new futuristic eco friendly gardening techniques.

There will be lectures by regional and international advisors, workshops, flower arranging demonstrations, and competitions to educate and entertain all visitors.

Trade visitors - Flower and plant collections, Floristry supplies, Floral arrangements, Floral decorations, Flowerpots, Gardening, Aboriculture, Horticulture, Landscaping suppliers, Municipalities and government parks, Garden departments, General public are the target audience.

Exhibitors include manufacturers of mini-tractors for gardening, soil softeners, lawn-mowers, watering equipment, clippers, foils, greenhouses, landscaping, nursery, garden care, home & gift, machinery, outdoor living, water gardening etc.

2010-03-11T13:22:00.000-08:00

EXPECTED APRIL 2010 Kewbooks announces a book from Hong De-yuan, "Peonies of the World".

The genus Paeonia is a famous group of plants that has been culturally significant in both the East and West for millennia, and is extensively cultivated for both ornamental and medicine purposes. The cultivated tree peony is known as ‘The King of Flowers’ in China, and the herbaceous peony was known as ‘The Queen of Herbs’ in ancient Greece. This book contains a comprehensive taxonomic revision of the genus based on extensive field observations, population sampling, examination of a large quantity of specimens (including type specimens) and statistic analysis of characters.
Recognition of 32 species in the book is a result of substantial taxonomic revision. The book will satisfy readers not only with the taxonomy of Paeonia, description and distribution, and other biological aspects of each species, but also with the methodology and principles, on which the taxonomic revision was based. A must have book for both plant taxonomists and horticulturists.
312pp (e) 234 x 156mm. 80 line drawings. 40 maps. Hardback. ISBN: 9781842463925

2010-03-01T11:03:00.000-08:00

I have sent off my list for request of peony seeds and hope to receive them in the next few weeks.
I will prep by soaking them water/bleach solution and then placing them in a ziploc and putting them in a dark warm place for several weeks to produce roots. Depending on how long it takes roots to established I will either place in ground for summer in cold frame or place in fridge to start the cold phase.
Looking forward to the many new plants from seeds.

Results Are In

2009-12-10T07:07:00.001-08:00

After all was said and done, the results of 2009 Root Sale are in. This year with many thanks to our donating members (87roots donated) and the following nurseries Blossomhill (8roots), Ferncliff Gardens(40roots) ,GardenHouse Perennials (2roots), La Pivoinerie D'Aoust (4roots), Peonygarden (10roots ) and Planteck Biotechnologies (83roots), we raised $4,942.02 for the CPS coffers.

We would also like to thank those members (42) who took the time to go over the list and purchase roots from the sale.

This year we had 86 varieties of roots to choose from and 33 of those had been offered for the first time. 195 roots were available for purchase. Demand is always
high and supplies try to keep up. 42 members requested 222 roots.

Our popular request this year were Bartzella, Smith Family Yellow, Henry Bockstoce, Vivid Rose, Pink Luau and Red Charm. Our Mystery category was also a big hit again
this year with only a couple of roots left at the end of the sale.

Gross revenue from the 2009 Root Sale was an incredible $5,884.00. It cost our donors $941.98 to ship the roots. Minus expenses our net profit was $4,942.02. This was an increase from last year making 2009 a very prosperous year.

Many thanks to all our members for donating and purchasing roots making our primary source of funding the success it continues to be for the Canadian Peony Society.

Please think of the CPS Root Sale when rearranging or digging up your beloved peonies and donate for 2010. As always, we look forward to compiling the selections that will be created by your donations.

High Temperature:
Actual: -1°C sun and cloud w/flurries 1cm Winds over 80KPH Winds W41km/h P.O.P.45%
Average: 2°C
Record: 16°C in 1971

Low Temperature:
Actual: -9°C partly cloudy Wind W30km/h P.O.P.31%
Average: -6°C
Record: -25°C in 1977

Acquisition of Planteck Inc.

2009-11-09T16:00:00.000-08:00

Communiqué

Planteck International Inc. acquires Planteck Inc.’s Assets

November 9, 2009. L’Assomption, QC, Canada - Planteck International Inc. is pleased to announce the acquisition of the principal assets of Planteck Inc. (Planteck Biotechnologies). Planteck International is a new company established by the founding members of Planteck Inc.: Yves Dubé, Richard Labbé and Caroline Constabel with the addition of Normand Tellier, a nursery owner/operator with 30 years experience in the horticultural industry. With this team back at the control board, which has been absent for nearly two years, the company is set to renew its activities and improve and expand its customer service.

“We would like to consolidate our reputation as a business offering top-of-the-line quality and work closely with our customers to offer new services and products in a win-win situation” affirms Yves Dubé, president of Planteck International Inc.

For more information:
Richard Labbé, CA
CEO

1-450-589-6162
info@planteck.com

***Planteck was one of our major donors for this years Root Sale Fundraiser

2009-09-30T16:48:00.000-07:00

This year I have added Akashigata, and Prairie Star to my root collection. Courtesy of the CPS Root Sale.

Akashigata picture from Blossomhill Nurseries http://www.blossomhillnursery.com/

Prairie Star picture from La Pivoinerie D'Aoust http://www.paeonia.com/

I have also added Starlight supplied by Parkland Perennials. All were excellent root size with more than 5 eyes. I look forward to seeing there blooms for years to come.

Starlight picture from Parkland Perennials http://www.parkland-perennials.com

How to Plant your Peony Roots

2009-09-05T10:59:00.000-07:00

There are over 5,000 varieties of the common garden or herbaceous peony. Fall is the opportune time to plant your freshly dug roots. If you purchase a potted root these can be planted anytime of the year. (remember to plant the crown at least 2" below soil and no more than 2" if too low or too high it will hinder flowering)All peonies require a cold period (vernalization)

When planting your herbaceous roots make sure that the bud (little pink nub) is 1 to 2" below soil level. A 3 to 5 eye root will generally flower within 2 years of planting.
Plants will grow between 2 and 4feet tall, in a sunny location (at least 6 hours)in well drained, organic rich soil. Although peonies will tolerate a wide range of soil types. Top dress your peonies each fall with compost to improve soil structure and remember not to place compost directly on crown of plant.

Planting Itersectional Hybrids (cross between a herbaceous and a tree peony) are a little different than herbaceous. Like the herbaceous they like full sun (6 hours or more) and well drained compost rich soil. They can grow up to 4 feet across and live for years with minimal care. Plant your root so the first eye above the crown is at soil level. Eyes may be on the crown or the stem. All visible eyes on crown should be 5 to 10cm under the soil surface and roots always pointing downward. Remember to mulch your Itoh for the first winter and never use fresh manure.

Seasonal Care for Herbaceous and Intersectionals:

Early Spring: If you have insufficient spring rains water. Side dress plants with compost or aged manure. If botrytis blight was present the previous season, cover ground around plant with a thin (one-quarter inch) layer of sand. Set stakes or other supports in place now.

Mid-Spring: Watch for signs of botrytis blight, removing any diseased tissue immediately. Train plants through supports. Remove side buds if exhibition-size blooms are desired.

Late Spring: Deadhead Peonies religiously and remove all fallen petals or blooms from the garden. If you wish to collect seeds leave spent blooms on your plants.

Summer: Herbaceous Peonies do best with an inch of water a week. Check for seeds from your peonies and when ripe (pods open and they turn dark brown or black)remove from seedheads.

Fall: Cut stems of Herbaceous Peonies back to soil level. Dig and divide plants now if necessary. Mulch new plantings with hay or evergreen boughs after the ground freezes.

Pests/Diseases:
Few insect pests bother Herbaceous Peonies,
Botrytis a fungal disease more prominent especially in very wet seasons. The stems of your plant develop cankers or blacken at the base and fall over or simply wilt. Leaves may show black or brown patches and buds may turn brown and fail to open. Good culture and sanitation in the garden can help prevent or correct these problems. Plants need good drainage and air circulation, so do not crowd. Remove any affected foliage at the first sign of disease and deadhead religiously, removing all flower parts and petals from the garden. Cut off all foliage just below soil level after a killing frost in the fall and remove it and any debris from the area -- do not compost. If botrytis was present the previous spring, add a shallow layer of sand around the plants and crowns. Fungal spores overwinter at the base of the plants, and spring rains then splash the spores up onto the new shoots. Removing any debris and old foliage and covering the soil with sand helps prevent reinfection.
Phytophthora, another blight may also appear, but the two diseases are hard to tell apart, this disease is usually fatal to the plant and infected plants should be dug up and destroyed, and the soil replaced before replanting.

URBAN MYTH: Ants are often said to be required in order for buds to open. Ants are attracted to sap sacreted by buds and do no harm to the plant.

2009-09-04T06:25:00.000-07:00

CPS Root Sale Deadline is today. I have received an overwhelming response to the sale this year. It should be our best year ever.
We have several roots that did not sell from some of the nursery donors and I will take these and grow them on for future sales. (Too many to just say sorry but thanks anyway.) We had a few from our members that didn't sell, but, if they are willing to keep them and offer them next year I will be more than happy to add to the selection of offerings.

2009-08-29T13:32:00.000-07:00

Okay, I have officially joined the "I hate the tree rat club", more commonly known to others as squirrels. These cute little critters have started to eat the seeds from my peonies. I collect these in the fall for propagating purposes. So far, the tree rats have eaten, or collected for later use, 3/4 quarters of my collection. Now what am I supposed to do about that. The seeds need the heat of the sun to ripen and the only recourse I can think of is to pick them in their pods and ripen them off the plant. (Don't know if that will work) Also, yes, I've tried leaving nuts and things for them to go after instead, but, as nature would have it they are taking that and the seeds.

2009-08-28T12:33:00.000-07:00

Magical Mystery Tour, (Smith 2002)Double, cream pink, 28", Mid
Creamed flush pink, rose form with stamens,and pollen no seeds. Very good substance.
1-2 buds per stem, excellent stem strength with excellent vigor. Semi double to double blooms 6 to 7" in diameter on herbaceous stems. Blooms open cream, heavily flushed and edged in medium amethyst pink. As blooms age they become creamy white with bluish lavender pink picotee. Centre contains neat circle of stamen with pink / cream filaments, 3-4 pale green carpels with light pink stigma in cream sheath. Excellent dark green foliage. Mild fragrance.

Morning Lilac, (Anderson 1999), Single to Semi double, Pink, 36"
Bright rose pink with some blooms showing darker lavender and cream stripes in petals. Very unusual and very limited.

Singing in the Rain(Donald Smith 2002), Single, Yellow to Pink, 36"/40", Early Late
Many side buds, very vigorous growth Side buds open 7-10 days after main buds giving a bloom period of 20 days! Multicoloured (blooms open pink and fade to yellow) Strong stems, attractive foliage, bushy form, extreme winter hardiness. Variations in
colour Yellow, pink, to a blending of the two.

Smith Family Yellow (Smith 2002), Semi Double/Double, Yellow, 28", Mid
Reliable floriferous, fragrant, very good substance with excellent stem strength. Foliage is disease resistant, Tree peony type blooms with clear deep yellow and small red flares Blooms up to 8" in diameter with large side buds that blooms 5" across.

Yankee Doodle Dandy(Smith 2002), Semi Double/Double, Pink, 36", Mid
Very good substance , with rose form stamens pollen no seeds 2-3 buds per stem floriferous. Disease resistant foliage. Blooms deep pink with cream undertones that fade slightly as they mature.

All photos courtesy of "Carsten Burkhardts Web Project Paeonia"

2009-08-27T12:31:00.000-07:00

First Arrival, (R.F. Anderson 1986), Semi double, Lavender pink, 36", Mid
Large lavender pink 6" to 8" blooms with red flares in the centre yellow stamens and carpels; dark deeply cut leaves on strong stems create a round bushy plant, profuse bloomer.

Going Bananas (Anderson), Single, Yellow
Large yellow single that really catches the eye Good flowering plant

Julia Rose, (Anderson 1991), Single to Semi Double, Red, 36", Mid
Opens cherry red and quickly turns to rose, apricot and yellow blend showing flowers in three colours at one time. Excellent habit and makes good garden plant.

Carsten Burkhardt's Web Project Paeonia - The Peony Database

2009-08-26T12:29:00.000-07:00

Cora Louise (Anderson 1986), Semi Double / Double, White, 36", mid to late
Blooms are pale lavender fading to white with dark lavender flares. Strong stems with dark green leaves.

Picture courtesey of Carsten Burkhardt's Web Project Paeonia - The Peony Database

2009-08-25T12:27:00.000-07:00

Bartzella (Anderson 1986), double, yellow, 48", mid
Each plant holds up to sixty , open faced blooms of soft yellow. Free flowering holding blooms for long period of time. Fragrant.

Photo from Carsten Burkhardt's Web Project Paeonia - The Peony Database

2009-08-24T18:23:00.001-07:00

Received a donation of 10 different Itoh Hybrids. The donor said that if we required more they would check into it. It is a generous donation to start and I am more than pleased that they can be offered to the membership. Bartzella, Cora Louise, First Arrival, Going Bananas, Julia Rose, Magical Mystery Tour, Morning Lilac, Singing in the rain, Smith Family Yellow and Yankee Doodle Dandy will make a fine addition to any garden. Intersectional (Itoh) Hybrids are a cross between a herbaceous and a tree peony.

2009-08-15T18:56:00.000-07:00

The newsletter was published last week for the Society and members have started to place there orders. Several have commented on the selection and are quite happy with the choices being offered this year. I'm glad the donors could oblige and that I was able to compile them and offer them to the members.

It will only be a little wait to find out who gets what and then in September / October the roots will ship to the buyers. Enjoy everyone!!!

2009-07-10T09:12:00.000-07:00

Nellie Saylor (Krekler 1967) Lactiflora, Japanese, Red, 36" Mid/Late
Wine-red Japanese type with a cream to pink puff center. Nice sturdy stems and sweetly fragrant. Striking colour combination.

2009-07-06T20:19:00.000-07:00

Jan Van Leeuwan (Van Leeuwan 1928)Lactiflora, Japanese, White, 36", Mid
Light yellow stigmata. Fragrant, nice foliage surrounding a small centre of narrow, golden yellow staminodes. Carpels pale green with light yellow stigmata. Fragrant, nice foliage with rather small flowers.

2009-07-05T20:11:00.000-07:00

General MacMahon (Calot 1867) Lactiflora, Red, Double, 36", Early
A pretty, full double lactiflora in deep carmine red. see Marechal MacMahon

2009-07-04T18:48:00.000-07:00

Maestro, (Auten 1957) Lactiflora, Double, Red, 36", Mid
Stunning, brilliant red double is sprinkled with bright golden stamen throughout.
Perfectly formed flower sits atop dense mound of medium green foliage.

Mary Pratte, CANADIAN INTRODUCTIONS,(Menard/D'Aoust 2006),Herbaceous Hybrid, 36"
Blooms are floriferous resistant to fading and damage caused by inclement weather.
Named after third president of Canadian Peony Society, by her family, to celebrate
passion for peonies and to mark a significant bday. Donation was made to SPCA Monteregie, Quebec to name peony.

2009-07-03T18:30:00.000-07:00

Bright Knight,(Glasscock, 1939) Herbaceous Hybrid, Single, 38", extra early, red
Parentage: Lactiflora x officinalis Otto Froebel
Large blood red flowers, tinted with magenta, fading eventually to crimson red. Narrow petals have a white stripe at base edged or suffused with violet. Carpels light green with coral pink stigmata. Anthers are yellow, filaments white, tinted pink at base, yellow at top. Disc very pale pink. Strong stems. Formerly BLACK KNIGHT

Coral n Gold, (Cousins/Klehm 1981), Herbaceous Hybrid, Single, 36", Early, Coral
Excellent coral single. Large, cupped coral petals surround a golden yellow center. From the "Innerglow" hybrid line.

Chameleon, (Krekler/Klehm), Herbaceous Hybrid, Single, 15", Early, Red
Single lavender pink blooms on compact bushes with gray green foliage. This one is especially suited to rock gardens.

2009-07-02T19:55:00.000-07:00

Doreen (Sass 1949)Lactiflora, Japanese, Pink, 32", Mid
Fuchsia beauty with yellow fringed centre tuft. The contrast of the two colours is lovely. Light green foliage compliments blooms; mild scent adds to beauty.

2009-07-01T08:42:00.000-07:00

Mahogany (Glasscock 1937) Herbaceous Hybrid, Single, Red, 28", Early
Shiny mahogany red petals and large gold stamens; no pollen. Sweetly fragrant, makes a very good cut flower, light green foliage.
Parentage: Lactiflora x officinalis Otto Froebel
I have always been drawn to the darker varieties and the unusual. This deep red almost mahogany coloured bloom is definately a keeper in my books.

2009-06-30T19:47:00.000-07:00

Dai Jo Kuhan, (Millet) Lactiflora, Japanese, Magenta, 36", Early
This variety produces blooms in clusters of 4-6 blooms per cluster. It is a deep pink with small, short stamens.

Root Sale Fundraiser

2009-06-29T07:08:00.000-07:00

The global recession does not seem to have put a damper on donations this year. A few of our nursery friends have been very generous in their offerings and many members have donated large quantities of roots that should go towards making this a very good year for sales.
The CPS Root Sale deadline for root donations is today. So far we have over 70 varieties for this years sale many of them Itoh Hybrids and I can't wait to get the list out and share it with the members. If everyone adds one thing to their garden we could potentially have the best year ever in sales.
One of a few unknowns I have in my collection.

2009-06-23T17:25:00.000-07:00

Paula Fay (Fay 1968) Herbaceous Hybrid, Semi Double, Pink, 35", Early/Mid
Deep shocking pink with waxy textured softly glowing blooms. Excellent plant habit and dark green foliage. APS Gold Medal Winner. 1988

Yellow Heaven

2009-06-22T16:03:00.000-07:00

YELLOW HEAVEN (Mr. Itoh in Japan. Itoh-Smirnow hybrid), Yellow, 32", Mid
Yellow with red blotches. Non fragrant. Ball form, stamen, pollen, seeds, reliable and fragrant. Tree peony foliage with herbaceous plant habits.

2009-06-21T09:59:00.000-07:00

MAHOGANY (Glasscock, 1937),Single, Deep mahogany,28", Early
Shiny mahogany red petals and large gold stamens; no pollen. Sweetly fragrant, makes a very good cut flower, light green foliage.

2009-06-20T17:20:00.000-07:00

ILLINI BELLE (Glasscock, 1941)Herbaceous Hybrid, Semi-Double, Red, 32", Early
Four or five rows of brilliant, dark red rounded petals, yellow stamens, carpels green, tipped red. Needs staking, poor foliage.

2009-06-19T08:46:00.000-07:00

Victoire de la Marne (Dessert 1915)Lactiflora, Double, Pink, 32" Mid
Very large. Purplish red, with lighter edges; floriferous good stems and foliage. A very striking, loosely formed flower.

Green Lotus

2009-06-18T17:14:00.000-07:00

Green Lotus (William Krekler/Roy G Klehm 1995)Lactiflora,Single, White, 28" to 29", Early
Amazing white with striking lime green streaks, soft pink highlights and deep green foliage. Cactus flowering dahlia type.

2009-06-17T08:56:00.000-07:00

Miss Eckhardt (Roelof-Arendsveen van der Meer, 1928)Semi Double to Double, Pink, 36", Mid
Fluffy magenta pink blooms that remind us of candy floss, have streaks of magenta on the petals. The colour fades on the outermost petals, leaving a deeper pink heart. The buds are Roseine purple (68A) fading to 68B with paler edges. Golden yellow stamens, some developed into pink staminodes. The carpels are pale green with
magenta stigmata. Free flowering, musk fragrance.

Flame

2009-06-16T16:48:00.000-07:00

FLAME (Glasscock, 1939),Herbaceous Hybrid, Single, Red, 26", Early
Blooms are a glowing rose-red with full round form and sunny yellow stamen center. Dark green foliage.

2009-06-15T15:53:00.000-07:00

Little Red Gem, Reath 1988, Herbaceous Hybrid, Single, Red, 15", Very Early
This peony is one of the first to open. Fernlike foliage forms an attractive low mound with small single red blooms. Strong, disease resistant plant.

2009-06-14T17:46:00.000-07:00

Krinkled White(AM Brand 1928) Lactiflora,Single, White, 32", Early
Snow white bloom has neatly crinkled petals. Stamen of rich yellow makes bloom glow.

Laura Dessert (Dessert 1913) Lactiflora, Double Anemone, White, 36", Early
Pink buds open to pale pink, saucer shaped blooms that fade to white at edges. Stamens are absent with some yellow colouring at base of petals. Very strong rose scent.

2009-06-13T10:34:00.000-07:00

Abalone Pearl(Krekler 1978) Herbaceous Hybrid, Semi Double, Pink, 28"
Stamens with very long pale yellow, filaments with gold anthers. Carpels hirsute with purple stigmata. Purple stigmoidal disc.

Duchess de Nemour(Calot 1856) Lactiflora, Double, white,
Fragrance with large cupped guards and a moderately full centre of a light yellow
deepening to pale green at base of petals. Very floriferous with strong erect stems and excellent foliage.

Buckeye Belle (Mains 1956), Herbaceous Hybrd, Semi Double, Red, 30"
Enticing hybrid with dark maroon blooms,crisply surrounded by strong foliage, good
growth habit. Outstanding large outer petals with narrow center petals add depth.

2009-06-12T05:12:00.000-07:00

Raspberry Rumba, Roy G Klehm 1995,32", Mid
Prominent, dancing raspberry streaking and blotching. Raspberry tipped pistils and attractive raspberry streaked buds. Good substance. Good foliage. 4-4 1/2" wide blooms. 0-3 side buds.

2009-06-11T06:44:00.000-07:00

Mons Charles Levesque Calot, 1861, lactiflora, Double, Pink, 36"
Light flesh pink, darkening somewhat in the center, fully double. Ruffled and crinkled. Very floriferous; drooping stems. Good foliage. An excellent cut flower, with strong fragrance.

PECHER, Calot (France), 1867, lactiflora, double
Blooms open soft pink and mature to clean white. Red flashes on tips of inner petals. Large number of sidebuds. Broad green leaflets and a low plant habit.
'Pecher' has an extremely pleasant odour. The French perfume industry use this variety in fragrances.

2009-06-10T10:43:00.000-07:00

Spiffy, Krekler/Klehm 1999, Japanese, Fuschia, height 28", mid season bloom
Colour contrast of fuchsia red and soft pink cream with a sprinkling of matching fuchsia petaloides in the blossom center. Fragrant.

2009-06-09T19:37:00.000-07:00

Coral Charm, Wissing 1964, Herbaceous Hybrid, Semi Double, Coral, 48", Early
Deep coral buds that open to coral peach blossom. True colour breakthrough for the peony garden.

APS Gold Medal Winner. Patent #4247

2009-06-08T17:08:00.000-07:00

The seedpod of Species Mollis

Seedpod of Fernleaf peony.

2009-06-07T16:53:00.000-07:00

Species Veitchii
Coming from the Northwest of China. Forming a round bush, foliage is finely cut and
and keeps its beauty until first frost. Small simple blooms that have a slightly tilted port. Carries several flowers per stem. One of the first to bloom in spring. Extremely hardy. Grows to 21".

Species Smouthi
Small crimson blooms, very early, 36" tall with pleasant fragrance
Said to be one of the oldest hybrid in commerce it first appeared around 1843 in France.

Claire de Lune is a Herbaceous Hybrid with pale yellow single blooms, round edged petals. Pale green carpels with pink tips and gold and yellow stamens. Good cut flower, blooms last well.

2009-06-06T08:41:00.000-07:00

Red Charm (L.D. Glasscock 1944) Herbaceous Hybrid, Red, 36", Early
Rich deep red with abundant ruffled petals. Good cut flower. APS Gold Medal Selection.

2009-06-05T07:28:00.000-07:00

Lavender (Saunders 1931)Herbaceous Hybrid, Single, Lavender, 30"
A jewel extremely rare. It is a single soft lavender which fades to a pale lavender. Flower centre with golden stamens and dark lavender or burgundy carpels. Contrasting prettily with the lavender coloration for the petals. Stems are strong requiring no support.

2009-06-04T07:37:00.000-07:00

Maestro

2009-06-03T18:15:00.000-07:00

June 13 and 14, 2009
Annual National ShowOpen to the public. Displays of cut peonies, workshops and a speaker series are all part of The Canadian Peony Society's 12th Annual National Show at the Montreal Botanical Gardens. I'll be giving a talk on Saturday at 3 p.m.
For more details click here.....
http://www.peony.ca/e_html/natshow.htm

2009-06-02T04:55:00.000-07:00

2009 Peony Festival Saturday June 13 and Sunday June 14 10-4
Oshawa Valley Botanical Gardens

2009-05-30T16:33:00.000-07:00

P. tenuifolia Rubra Plena, Species, Double, red, 32", early
Also known as the fernleaf peony. This dark red double whith small blooms on top of finely divided, ferny foliage. Blooms are fleeting and foliage goes dormant in early
summer. This dwarf plant, usually 8" high when young, though height will vary
with climate and age. Excellent for use in rock gardens, where room must be made for its large root system, unusual in such a small plant. A single form is also available. (see tenuifolia)

2009-05-28T09:51:00.000-07:00

John Harvard(Auten, 1939)Herbaceous Hybrid,Single,Red,36",Early
Flowers appear early and are absolutely incredible. Centre is full of golden stamens with blooms the colour and texture of velvet that hold their colour well. Flowers often have several layers of petals.

2009-05-22T16:00:00.000-07:00

Peter Barr, Not registered by APS, Single, red, 32",Very Early
Bright crimson hybrid with cut leaf foliage. Highly fragrant. Excellent cut flower

There is some debate about this peony. The American Peony Society lists this peony as
a hybrid of P. anomala, however, is grown in many gardens in Canada under the name Peter Barr. It blooms at the same time as Smouthii and has similar fragrance. It has fernleaf foliage similar to P. tenuifolia. There are some who believe that Peter Barr is a P. tenuifolia hybrid.

2009-05-14T16:37:00.000-07:00

Species Mlokosewitschii
large cupped blooms of pink 4" in diameter with a mild fragrance. In the wild seedlings can be yellow or pink. Grows 24" to 36".

Species Tenuifolia Fernleaf
single grows 10" early this is one of the first to bloom in spring.

2009-05-07T16:31:00.000-07:00

Species Mollis
The cup shaped flowers are beautifully positioned over foliage. Height 30". Pink.

Seedlings

2009-04-27T16:08:00.000-07:00

2009-04-22T16:13:00.000-07:00

Peter Barr

Species "Mollis"

Little Red Gem

Moonrise

2009-04-05T19:06:00.000-07:00

The ground is thawing and the first pink nubs are finally beginning to push through the ground. With 109 roots and counting watching for them all will be a full time job I am definately looking forward to.

Prosperity Maud

Fernleaf

White Wings

One of five tree peonies in bud

2008-11-10T17:00:00.000-08:00

Received the November issue of the CPS Newsletter. We have a new name Paeonia Nordica and a new logo.

'Paeonia Nordica' was selected from a list of proposed names submitted by Board and committee members. The purpose to search for a new, relatively short name that would translate well in both official languages, and that could compliment our new logo without being repititous. Our Atlantic region director helped guide us through the selection process.
The logo, created by someone with degrees in Fine Arts and Education. She enjoys working with clay and creating garden ceramics, making glass jewellery, stained glass and painting on glass in the traditional manner. She also loves gardening.
The inspiration for the logo came from a childhood memory. Coming from a family of farmers, mom also had a flower garden and peonies were a mainstay. When young, her sister and this women would amuse themselves for hours building villages and farms under the peony trees. When the peonies were in bloom in the garden you couldn't help but think of mom and her pastel pink and white blooms. She remembered burying her face in the bloom and taking that deep breath. She felt that she wanted to catch that essence of the peonies that she grew up with and that it would resonate with other people's experiences.

Ken Clare

2008-10-31T11:06:00.000-07:00

It was with great sadness to hear the passing of Ken Clare this month. Ken was the owner of what he liked to call"The Ultimate Peony Superstore" also known as peonygarden.com e was quite a legend in Candian Peony history.

He had the largest collection of peonies in Canada. He started growing them in pop bottles but later moved them to several area filds he was borrowing when his collection had outgrown his overwintering facilities. Pop bottle culture may have sounded a little odd to many peony growers but it was an innovative solution that worked very well.

Kens son Michael will be taking over The Ultimate Peony Super Store.

Condolences Micheal and family for your loss.

P. tenuifolia

2008-05-10T15:48:00.000-07:00

P. tenuifolia bloomed today. Red, single, 32" tall, early bloomer, very reliable.

A close up of this wonderful species Paeonia

Paeonia Mollis

2008-05-04T17:31:00.000-07:00

Species "Mollis", Single, Pink, 30", Early
This single species peony has blooms that sit on top of foliage. Very easy cultivar in full sun.

href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_GihPYLED5DU/SCTtd6ot0QI/AAAAAAAAB5E/J20Fsf6e-U/s1600-h/Mollis+I.JPG">

Prolific seed and pollen production

Day +14 sun and cloud Winds WNW30km/h P.O.P.0%
Night +3 partly cloudy Winds N4km/h P.O.P.0%

2008-04-22T12:13:00.000-07:00

Claire de Lune jumping out of the ground.

Buds are swelling

2008-04-22T08:56:00.001-07:00

Almost all peonies are sprouting now and several are in bud.

New Stamps

2008-03-15T09:35:00.000-07:00

On March 3rd, 2008, Canada Post issued two stamps dedicated to peonies. These two stamps are Canadian Hybrids: Coral 'n' Gold and Elgin

Canada's Stamp Details (Vol. XVII No 1; January to March 2008)

Two of Canada's most popular flowers are featured in new stamps for 2008. On March 3, Canada Post will issue two stamps dedicated to peonies (Paeonia lactiflora). The stamps capture two Canadian hybrids in all their blooming glory: the 'Elgin' and the 'Coral 'n Gold'.

The 'Elgin' reflects the popular vision of a peony: up to a metre tall and sprouting impressively large, pink blossoms fringed with lavender. The blooms last for two to three weeks and emit a strong, rich scent. William Brown, a peony specialist in Elora, Ontario, introduced the 'Elgin' in 1952.

The 'Coral 'n Gold' hybrid was named for the appealing colour combination of its blossoms. Originally bred by Lyman Cousins in London, Ontario, the 'Coral 'n Gold' features a cup of bright petals surrounding golden stamens.

To photograph appropriate specimens, Isabelle Toussaint, a freelance designer in Montréal, travelled to Ottawa and visited greenhouses at the Central Experimental Farm and Algonquin College. In the design, Toussaint created a soft, neutral background and used close-cut and shadowing techniques to emphasize the blooms and foliage.

"I love to work in my garden, although I'm by no means an expert," says Toussaint. "The challenge was to create a stamp that mimics the impact that peonies have-when they flower, they make a bold statement."

The peony stamps continue Canada Post's informal tradition of issuing floral-themed stamps in the spring. Previous stamps have featured daffodils, lilacs and gardens. The spring issues have proven popular not only with collectors, but also with people sending out invitations to weddings and parties.

The domestic rate (52¢) stamps will be sold in booklets of ten; official first day covers and souvenir sheets will also be available.

Did you know?

In 600 BC China, peonies were known as the King of Flowers, and were often portrayed with the phoenix, an icon of life arising from ashes, triumphant.
According to Feng Shui, the red peony is a symbol of good fortune, associated with women and romance. It is believed to keep passion and love alive.

Bulletin from Canada Post site:

http://www.canadapost.ca/cpo/mc/personal/collecting/stamps/2008/2008_march_peonies.jsf

Successful Gardening Show

2008-02-29T05:37:00.000-08:00

I have been contacted regarding the Successful Gardening Show,and will be working the first day, all day. We have a smaller booth than we are use to (Canada Blooms) but it should be fine. (We don't have the costs incurred from Canada Blooms)
It will be nice to get into the isles with plants and the like and out of the snow and the cold.
Successful Gardening Show is located at the International Centre. Free Parking.

New Show for 2008

2008-01-28T06:44:00.000-08:00

We have acquired a display booth at the Successful Gardening Show in Malton. It is held at the International Centre from March 6 - 9th and starts at 10am

Adding to the Collection

2007-12-08T06:17:00.000-08:00

New additions for the season are Gratis, Lavender and P. veitchii purchased from La Pivoinerie D'Aoust in QC . She is one of the best suppliers in Canada. (In this bloggers opinion) I also managed to acquire a couple of peony roots from this year's
Root Sale Browns Red Jap, Going Bananas and The Fleece.

All have been appropriately placed and a couple may even give me blooms next year. Large divisions. (more than 5 eyes) I have had very good luck with the root sale divisions and hope to continue adding to my collection this way.

2007-10-02T04:54:00.000-07:00

Planted two more peonies (Paula Fay) at the PTG and added several seeds to the beds.
The beds are starting to look presentable. I hope in a couple of years the seeds will be seedlings. Fingers crossed.

2007-09-29T07:18:00.000-07:00

Always cleanup and things to do this time of year. Take stock of my collection, what works and what doesn't .
Received some seeds from the hybridizing program ??? that has been started. Myself and two others are involved so far (Kind of impromptu group) I am also taking some of my seeds to the PTG to plant there. Have removed a few peonies to give to the PTG
as well. All peonies recieved from the Root Sale and cheque is with the others to send to treasurer.
Very pleased for my first attempt. We had many donations and many members who wanted them. We also had a bit of a problem with Lemoines Disease so a few of the donations had to be pulled. There is little known about this affliction to the plant and the only cure is to destroy the (entire plant) affected plant. I hope it isn't too rampant next year.

Peony Problems

2007-09-26T13:11:00.000-07:00

This is powdery mildew.
There isn't much that
can be done for this.
It is a seasonal problem
that is mainly unsightly
Good hygienic gardening
practices will help keep
this down.

Bud Blast

2007-08-10T13:20:00.000-07:00

Pink Hawaiin Coral,Roy G Klehm 1981, Coral semi double to double,early, 36", Marvelous bloom with rounded petals that form a nice shape around delicate yellow stamen and cream coloured carpels. Colour fades to delicated pink towards edge. Excellent variety.

2007-07-30T07:31:00.000-07:00

Charlies White
Klehm 1973, 42" tall
This double white blooms
early with a full centre
and large guard petals
sitting on strong, sturdy
stems. Excellent cut
flower.

Belle Centre
Mains 1956, 30" tall
Semi double with shallow
cup shaped blooms and
bright yellow stamens.