I like Maple Keys too. I may start using that expression instead of helicopters!

What lovely flowers. Love the iris but especially love the heirloom one with a story.

Thanks.

Wasn't brought up to maple keys/helicopters in my mother's garden in England.
The "helicopters" makes obvious sense; but "keys" ?
New on me: it's because the keys (botanical: samaras) hang in bunches like bunches of keys.
But I do agree that that information doesn't make them less of a nuisance in our gardens here!

Today: getting the first peonies blooming in the sunniest locations.
'Edulis Superba' (in front).



'Miss Mary'.


'Celebrity'.


Painted daisies also blooming.
'Robinson's Crimson'.
Shows an example of conjoined flowers (quite common in painted daisies).


Beginning of the Siberian irises.
'Caesar's Brother'.


Planted this year.
Delphiniums are not usually very hardy here, so tend to treat them as annuals.
Delphinium grandliflorum.

Looking great, Charlie!

Love the photos!

Me too Charlie !

Thanks.
Today: more peonies out.

'Bouchela', in front of 'Miss Mary'.


'White Wings'.


'Monsieur Jules Elie'.


This picture, a few days ago (June 13).
Plant: not in flower and mislabelled when purchased.
Several peony folk have said it's likely to be the bomb peony, 'Charlie's White'.


I'd say that peonies are really carrying the garden at this late spring point in time here.

Such beautiful blooms, Charlie, and such lovely settings!

Oh, so pretty Charlie!

Beautiful Charlie ! My peonies finished up last week. I have been cutting them back.

Momentarily off topic: how far do you cut them back now, Mike?

Charlie, I love peonies. Those are gorgeous!

@Pirl, I cut the flower stalk back to the bush just to tidy things up. I also cut back some more if the plant is blocking the sun from reaching other plants near by.

@HazelcrestMikeb - Thanks so much. I do the same thing.

I figured as much.

Thanks.

Also, interesting question/information, Arlene, Mike.

We have peonies, in our garden, blooming through most of June here.
Last year: from a few days into June to a few days before the end of June.

Re after blooming: I also do as Mike said.
Our perennials are generally pretty closely packed and cutting back and thinning out (to get sunlight through) seems an important consideration for us.
I do go easier on peonies though than I would on say garden phlox.

Am a bit confused: I'm noticing a colour change in our 'Duchesse de Nemours' (white, double).
It has had some pink/pinkish blooms over the last two years.
We've had it since 2012, when I really started adding peonies to our flower beds.

From recent reading on-line, I'm assuming our peony changing colour is not the result of the weather, but of volunteer seeding in our garden.
The confusing thing to me is that I have always deadhead all our peonies, after they bloomed (I'm a bit of a garden neat freak too!), so I would not have expected any seeding of hybrids.
See two of the pictures below.

Today: last of our irises blooming.
'Acapulco Gold'.


'Midnight Revelation'.


More peonies blooming.
'Felix Crousse'.


'Avalanche'.


Happening with our 'Duchesse de Nemours'.
(had it since 2012.)

No idea on what causes the color change but here's the database page for it and no photos show any pink:
Peony (Paeonia lactiflora 'Duchesse de Nemours')

Thanks, Arlene

When I got that 'Duchesse de Nemours' in 2012, I also got a 'Sarah Bernhardt' (double pink), which I planted quite close to it.
As said, the confusing thing is that I've always deadheaded our peonies after flowering.
Consequently, how could any seed be formed, in our garden, to fall to the ground to produce hybrid seedlings around the parent plant?

Perhaps hybrid seeds were already present in the pot along with the plant when I originally got it.

No idea as to how it could happen. The plants you thought you bought may not be the ones you received. Mislabeling is (unfortunately) not rare.

Agree, Arlene.
Was trying to get a correct identification of the plicate iris (picture posted before).
Last week, visited garden of local American Iris Society garden/exhibition judge.
I ultimately persuaded myself because the cultivar in question (of the possibles) was the only one that had been locally available.

The end of the peonies for this year.
Best picture June 23.


Yesterday after rain during the night.
'Sarah Bernhardt' (faded)


'Félix Crousse'


Campanula 'Kent Belle'


Recent additions.
Delphinium grandiflorum 'Summer Nights'
(tend to view delphiniums as annuals here).


Echinacea purpurea 'Double Scoop' Orangeberry
(Lost a number of our fancier purple coneflowers to coneflower rosette mite a couple of years ago.
The problem (in the nursery greenhouses?) seems to be resolved now).

Great photos and glorious blues!