So we continue to have cold, wet weather here in Colorado. Can someone please remind my state that it is supposed to be high desert???!!!! Snow on Mother's Day and cold rain since....don't think we're going to have a spring this year. We'll go straight from winter to summer sometime mid-June....
Had to pinch off the first bud that might've bloomed on my double red fernleaf due to frost damage. We'll see if the others make it. So far the only one to come through the cold with no bloom damage is Nosegay. This one was planted last fall and had 3 buds this spring, came through 8 inches of snow and 20 deg weather with only some curvature of the stems. THAT's a peony that can take some bad weather....smells good, too.

Love Nosegay. It looks like one of the species. I'll try to get one.

Me too!

The spring has finally started overhere. The first peony bloom in my garden opened today; it is Rockii Snow Lotus. Just publihed a picture on Peony Blooms 2015.

I cannot wait for the Guardian of the Monastery. The bud looks huge; like some sort of vegetable. Hope the Guardian will go next.



High Noon is full of buds, but it will probably take one more week to bloom.



Hoki is also full of buds, but not ready to go.



My garden peonies are ok. Those that were planted last fall will not bloom. Blaze that was bougth as one-stem plant 2013 is much bigger than last year, but only one bud.

Nosegay is so lovely, Liz! The coloring on this peony is very nice. I really like it. Can I ask how long the bloom last?

I planted Nosegay last fall so don't have anything to compare it to. It was showing color when we got our big snow on Mother's Day. The picture below is from 8 May, the one I posted on the 19th was taken earlier that day. I got home so late that I don't know if it's still even there! I'll check tomorrow and let you know if it's still flowering.

So Nosegay is done now. I didn't see the final opening of the flower, happened sometime between 16 and 19 May. I know it was still looking pretty on the 20th but didn't look again until today and it's completely gone. We've had crazy rain pretty much since Mother's Day so I haven't monitored them as closely as I wanted to, wanted to document a lot of first open and length of bloom but I think the dates would be so skewed by our weather I don't know if it would be worth it.
It's raining slightly this morning but I did see that I had a few blooms from other plants ready to open. Their foliage is pretty waterlogged so they're drooping like crazy but Claire de Lune, Nova and Early Scout are just waiting for the tiniest bit of sun to come out to pop!
Karen, Nosegay has no sidebuds so it's probably a shorter bloom season. The scent is like one of the nicer lilies. I don't like the scent of most lilies, smell like funeral flowers to me, but Nosegay's smell is pleasant. Sounds weird but a nice, sweet peony scent but kinda waxy? if that makes sense? I got it from Fina so it was one of the big roots.

kousa said:Dora, your p.obvata is so pretty and pure! Does it last long?

Karen,
The petals started to drop today, so not quite a week.

I thought I'd post here too since I am
A northerner. Here is 'Melissa' an earlier herbaceous peony bloom. I particularly love it's form, pale yellow coloration and form. And best of all a hybrid with a nice fragrance!

That's a beautiful flower Tracey, I can see why you love it. I'm glad you posted because I've never heard of this variety before and the yellow herbaceous peonies always seem to draw me in.

If we'd just have a single sunny day I think I'd have open blooms on several peonies, sigh.....Thinking I need umbrellas for my poor, drowning peonies! Sure am glad I planted them on high ground in raised beds now....

I think I will have o look for that one since my daughters name is Melissa!

Not sure if Melissa registered. A couple of years I saw it on a garden tour and knew I had to have it. Was able to get it. I understand it is in the propagation phase,at least a couple of years ago. Hopefully to be seen in a grower catalog soon. It seems to hold color here pretty well.

Just posted more pictures of this beautiful Shimadaijin in Peony Blooms 2015, but, as Tracey said "since I am a northerner", I'll post the whole plant and several comments here.

This gorgeous TP belongs to my neighbor. The plant is about 5 feet tall and very upright. It grows in light shade below a tree. It seems this light shade makes flowers only better, deeper and darker. They can keep their deep color because the sun is not too strong to affect them. The plant is also protected from the cold winds and it obviously loves that spot.

That is absolutely gorgeous. The colors just pop out at you!

Karen, the bloom is a bit deeper and darker in person. Nevertheless, the color if fenomenal. I am monitoring to see for how long it can keep the flowers.

What a beautiful tree peony. It sure does make a difference in bloom numbers in northern climates planting in a more protected location. The ones I have close to the house do so much better. But I have them in all sorts of locations where I have room. They just really show off when spoiled in my climate

Now seriously, I am thinking of buying parasols for the TPs.

TPs love the sun. I know they have more buds when planted in the sun, but the blooms get scorched and they don't last as long as they should.

Has anyone used parasols like these in Cricket Hill Garden?

http://www.treepeony.com/

I agree with you Jasmin. My red tree peony got scorched really bad in the afternoon sun. This fall, I am going to move it under my Honeylocust tree. I saw a tree peony growing right up against a tree in a neighbor's yard. Being close to the tree seems to have little effect on the blooms as it blooms great every year.

Liz, just wondering how your peonies are doing? I know that you had some bouts of terrible weather. I hope the buds make it through unscathed.

I bought three parasols from them many years ago and they are good but rather short. For some of the taller (over 35") plants you need to attach them to a longer stake and then set them. I got them, not for the sun, but to protect them in the rain. Our sun is not that hot.