Bold and brash in your garden (Peony)

Member Name: mumsymary

Product:	Peony
Date:	30/08/07 (190 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: bright flowers

Disadvantages: I am not ever so keen on them

Today I am going to talk about Peonies (Paeoniaceae) not the peony tree but the herbaceous one.
My first experience of the peony was a beautiful red flower that grew on a plant right outside the thatched country cottage I grew up in .it was there forever in my memory.

Peony flowers come in a variety of colours but this was a dark red one. My mother was very fond of peonies. Personally as an adult these are not my favourite flower.

My games and toys were simple when I was a child. I used to make perfume out of rose petals, (it really stank after being matured in a jam pot for weeks.) now the red peony made great dye. I soaked the petals in water and got “super” red designs on my clothes. (Mother was not too happy)

So let me tell you about the peony.
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Although the peony grows well in this country it is not a native plant it originates from Asia and the Mediterranean. It is a very popular Chinese flowers picture of it appearing often also it is printed on fabrics.
The peony makes a wide herbaceous bush about 2 to 3 feet tall. Its leaves are dark green the leaves are a divided one.
The peony is supposed to have medicinal properties

Flowers
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The flower comes in a variety of colours reds yellows reds white.

Simple flower *
It can be a simple flower with one or two rows of petals. In the centre of the simpler flowers you can see the stamens with yellow pollen on the tips

Double flower **
A double flower has more rows of petals

Ball type flower. O
The many petals form a flower that looks like a ball.

Japanese peony ~}*
This form has a couple of rows of petals then the stamens in the centre look like smaller frilly petals, these ones quite pretty.


Growing a Peony.
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It is perhaps easiest to buy a Peony plant to grow. It is possible to grow from seed or a root. Mum divided her Peony root /plant successfully
The best time to plant is in the autumn. The root needs to be about 2 inches under the soil surface. The soil needs to be well drained peony does not like to be over wet. Put some fertilizer on every two or three years. A peony will flower in June and July




General
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The flower of a Peony is a bit brash I think. You may notice like I did that your Peony flower attracts ants, the peony produces lots of sweet nectar art love it. The ants will do no harm.
You may need to stake the flowers as often their heavy head is too much for the stalk if it is windy
The flower petals I remember as being quite thick and waxy.
The Peony makes a good cut flower mum used to put some in the church. Their large flowers with bold colours being good for a display in a large building.

Buying
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A peony plant will cost you about £10 from http://www.kevockgarden.co.uk/
At http://www.peonynursery.com/ a peony is $6. I am sure there will be many local garden centres selling them too.
You can buy bunches of peonies at your flower shop too. I notice a big bunch of pink peonies is £39.00 at http://www.flowersdirect.co.uk/flowers/send-summer -flowers-uk/sm.html

Summary: A flowering herbacious shrub