Sunday, March 04, 2012

Lily of the Valley and Sorbet Peony planted.

Isn't this the most gorgeous peony ever!!! I guess I don't have to say that this is NOT the one I planted today. Soon. The root I planted had five sturdy good looking red shoots, so it will be a good strong plant.
I got a dozen Lily of the Valley pips from Marigold Nursery and planted them in my front garden under the Japanese Maple and Rhododendron. My mother always had them at whatever house we were living in. They were a constant, so I have a real soft spot for them. They don't seem to grow really well on the coast, but I keep trying anyway.
My sister Jess came over for her chive division. She dropped off a nice chunk of garlic chives for me. How fun.
I perused the yard for about a half hour and scouted a location for the Rainier Cherry. I was thinking of putting it in the front yard, but I don't think it would be a good idea to put a lovely dwarf cherry in the front. I'm thinking maybe a semi-dwarf fruit tree. Apple? Nectarine? What do you think? A Semi-dwarf would have a lot more fruit, which could be shared among passers by and still have lots left for us.

8 comments:

Jane and Chris said...

That poeony is a stunner! The flowers look like 'can-can'dancers petticoats. We need to divide ours this year...mustn't forget.
Jane x

Mark Willis said...

That peony is gorgeous! "Pretty as a picture" they say, and it reminds me of a Chinese water-colour painting I have stashed away somewhere in my loft.

Erin said...

I don't know what this ruffly form of peony is called. I love it. I have an old peony that is white with a pale yellow petticoat. We call it the Ogilvie Peony. About 25 years ago, I had lovely neighbors, the Ogilvies. They went to Alberta often to visit family. They had a beautiful peony, growing in their back garden and a tiny pitiful single stalk in the front lawn, huh?, that would get mowed down now and then. I was too shy at the time to ask for a piece. Wow have I changed. I won't bore you with the whole story. The Ogilvie's went to Alberta. Myself and an accomplice put on dark clothes in the middle of the night hopped the fence with a shovel and dug out a chunk from the side of the plant. I later took a trowel and liberated the little lawn peony. As we are in concrete clay, it took some doing. Both plants are large specimens. The Ogilvie's eventually moved back to Alberta and passed away. The new owners took out the flower garden. I like to think that the Ogilvie's would have been happy that I had a piece of their plant. Or is that just my guilty conscience talking?

Gardeningbren said...

I think the Ogilvies would be very pleased Erin and it's too bad all of us don't speak up sometimes to ask, because most gardeners are so happy to share! Beautiful peony.

Erin said...

You are so right Brenda. One of the reasons I really love the Ogilvie Peony is that the chunk I speak of was really small. It was a slice off the side and was only three of so stems. I was a total amateur gardener and to see it now, as a huge mature specimen makes me laugh at the though of us in dark clothes, hopping my five foot fence, stumbling around in the dark...and then a dog behind us started barking. It was just like something out of a crime drama. Except, I'm sure you could have heard the giggling if you were anywhere near us. Still makes make laugh to think about it. I think when it blooms this year, I'm going to take a glass of wine out and toast the Ogilvie's.

Joan said...

gorgeous peony and great story! instead of cat-burglers - semi-stealthy giggling gardeners at midnight! ;)

Jane and Chris said...

Guerilla gardening!!
Jane x

Erin said...

Thank you very much. How nice not to be judged too harshly for the transgressions of my youth. Okay I was in my late 20's and really should have known better.