LG, that's really something that KMart even had them, near you. I missed out on them, at the one near me, didn't carry any. Now it is closed. Instead, they'd have cacti, imported from Canada !

The SuperK, is just a bit too far away.
While the Walmart near it, will have a huge bagged perennial selection, yet the one nearest me, doesn't carry quite that same stock.
I'd have to go to Lowe's for better selection, of any of the herbaceous peonies.
Or Home Depot, for some potted herbaceous peonies, just in budded stage. I never seem to be there, to ever see those, in bloom.

Annie, I hope we all learn from each other.

Liz, I think LG got it, with mainly having something new to offer your loyal customers, that can eventually wait a little longer to enjoy it.

(By comparison, some "New Intro" Iris, may run at $55.)
Or else, a few may pay that extra high price just to have it new, & want it sooner.

Sorry you missed out on the cheap tree peonies, Shawn.

I was searching for different varieties, and noticed that Monrovia now includes two varieties. Look for them potted up in your local garden centers this Spring.

Thanks for the tip, LG. I think I know of a place or two, that offers Monrovia products, fairly reliably.
I'll be on the lookout, & I do appreciate it, once again.
It won't be too long before they'll begin to start showing up,l locally, as it seems time really goes by quickly, at least to me anyway.

They are not cheap here, but I think they sell quality plants.

I transplanted quite a few peonies over the last couple of days. The weather was great (57°F), and the soil was perfect!

I moved Princess Chiffon, Nova II, Gloria's Angel, Rose Fantasy Itoh, and Coral Magic. All were in too much shade, and Nova II was in too wet of a spot.

I planted a Crinkled Linens in 2019 and it sent up a stem. In 2020, it did not. There was a lot of mole activity in that bed, and just as I suspected, there was evidence of the voles chewing on the root. It was not rotten, but when I washed it off, I could not find any eyes at all!
I dusted the crown with rooting hormone and replanted it in my new peony bed. It will be interesting to see if it had any dormant eyes and throws up a stem this Spring.
I didn't have anything to lose!

Coral Magic had one perfect eye, and then two eyes that looked like something had chewed the top off! It was planted in 2016 and had never bloomed. It is now in a spot where it will get full sun. Losing that giant Hackberry tree in 2019 has really opened up so much more sunny areas.

Sorry to hear about your losses, LG. I've heard burying bottles up to the neck so when the wind blows it makes sound deters the critters. Never used it myself, so not sure if it works or not. Squirrels are bothering me most of the time, though. Harvesting any pears is almost impossible. And about a month ago I found a half of the hare in my back yard before it was finished on the next day. Probably coyote paid a visit.

Nice having more sun for peonies, even if it was from losing a tree. Hoping both chewed peonies make it. Just the time I think I will transplant things from pots to ground....moles and voles make a tunnel system right where I was going to plant...at least I hadn't just put them in the ground.

Thanks for the tip about burying bottles, Alex. I will try that.

I just checked on some daffodils I had planted this Fall and found one completely out of the ground, and about 5 feet away a big walnut. I'm sure the squirrels did that.

Annie, the moles and voles have ruined so many things in my garden. I resort to cutting the bottoms out of nursery pots and putting them in the ground and planting in them. I did this will all the baptisia I planted last year. Hopefully they will come up this Spring.

It was a nice sunny Saturday. I had to wait until late morning for the frost to burn off before I started with the peonies. First one dug up was Ballarena de Saval. It was planted in 2017. It blooms once in 2018, but hasn't bloomed since. It was in way too much shade. It had 5-6 nice eyes, and is now in full sun.

Next was Tropicana. I was very surprised that it had 4 huge, white eyes. It was in full sun, but never had bloomed. It is now next to Ballarena, because I think Tropicana is early enough to bloom before Ballarena so the colors won't clash.

I can't tell you how happy it makes me to improve the situation of all these peonies. Hopefully it will pay off in the years to come with happier peony plants and abundant blooms.

And hopefully they'll show you how happy you made them in the spring with much better above ground growth and flowers! Your garden is absolutely beautiful already and the changes you've been able to make this fall/winter are going to make it even better. Looking forward to seeing your bloom pics this spring and more videos!

Thanks Liz, let's just hope that we have a nice Spring!
Of course I do love to share photos, so it will be fun!

Sorry about that LG.
I'm now reminded, that there are moles, or voles in this yard, too.
I sure didn't order all sorts of fairly expensive roots, just to have results of feeding that sort of underground wildlife.
& I thought a rabbit was bad enough, eating seedlings, apart from the squirrels digging, & disturbing roots.

Fortunately, there aren't any deer to contend with.
Nor any muskrats, either.
I should feel more grateful, & I was wondering why you had that one "woody" peony with buds, potted up. Can't say I'd really blame you for doing so, to help keep it protected.

I have been keeping a close eye on the woody peonies that I transplanted a little while ago. All are showing signs of life!

Silver Waves on a Magenta Ocean



Kamata Nishiki

It has numerous leaf buds opening. I don't know if there are any flower buds.




Princess Chiffon is an early bloomer and is showing two buds.



The two woodies from Cricket Hill are both pushing up growth, but I didn't take photos yet.

Silver Waves actually looks like waves on that bud, doesn't it??!! Is there a flower bud in there as well or just leaves?

Mieko2 said:I have been keeping a close eye on the woody peonies that I transplanted a little while ago. All are showing signs of life!

Princess Chiffon is an early bloomer and is showing two buds.



The two woodies from Cricket Hill are both pushing up growth, but I didn't take photos yet.

What a beautiful purple color of young foliage on Princess Chiffon! I don't think I ever saw such a nice purple color on mine. I will have to watch it this spring. Those buds look awesome, LG! I am glad that you had the chance to move several underperforming peonies to better locations. I am sure they will appreciate and thrive in their new places. Last fall I also dug up and replanted my Salmon Dream. It had sunk too deep and bloominng was affected. I hope that it will do better this spring.

Liz, I am hoping that is a bud! This peony was previously located where I put the Moongate. The giant rose shaded it too much.




Thanks Karen. My PC has always had this purple foliage. It would only send out one or two buds each year, so I'm hoping it will perform better in this new location.

I hope your Salmon Dream will perform better too .

LG, I love that moon gate, in my garden I have a lot of circles.

@Mieko2 LG I'm very jealous of your spring foliage. The huge clumps of daffodils and surprise lilies under the trees.

Do you naturalize your perennials (only pulling up weeds and having mother nature care for the rest)?

I've found out that perennials do better when you leave them alone.

SoCal, this bed also has an old wagon wheel rim in it, and there's another hanging from a tree limb 15 feet behind it. When it stops raining I'll try to take a photo with all three in it.

Here is the rose that I am training over the Moongate.

Rosa Veilchenblau.


Ian, I have thousands of daffodils all over. I try to keep the perennials in beds or around trees or in the tree line. Unfortunately I have lots of deer, and if I don't spray they eat the Hostas, daylilies, phlox, roses, etc. Thankfully they don't eat peonies, but will trample them if I don't put a cage around them.