Nice one Caroline! With unusually warm weather you are ahead of us.

Alex you are way ahead of me .My tp are just showing some colour everything else is peasize.

It is just amazing that micro-climate can make such a difference - Edwards Gardens peonies are ahead of me for at least a few days and we are just 5 km apart...My lactiflora's buds are pea size as well, Oscar.

I'm with you there Alex. The peonies I have against the house seem to be a full year ahead of the peonies planted in an open bed, despite being put in the ground the same year.

Here's my progress this week:



My double red fernie is in full bloom and the Itohs are getting pretty large. We haven't had any precipitation in the last two months so I've been watering once or twice a week as it's been very warm as well. It's supposed to rain for the next five days and Coral Fay and maybe a couple other are on the brink of opening. On a positive note it looks like I will see my first TP bloom after three years of waiting, and it also looks like Impossible Dream, which I ordered from Parkland right before they had to close, will make it to flowering this year as well.

Nick, your garden looked beautiful. Can't wait to see photos.

Nice plants, Nick. Waiting for your flower pics.

Your plants look great Nick, can't wait to see the blooms.

Nick you are going to have an awesome show very soon.. Can't wait to s them!

I'm so jealous, Nick! You're a full zone colder than me and have blooms! Can't wait to see that entire bed in bloom!

Nick, beautiful peony bed!!! Can't way to see them all in full bloom.

Alex, great to know that there are more peonies lovers in Toronto.

My TP Hoki and Snow Lotus started opening yesterday.
Hoki lost 7 or 8 buds dues to the sudden snow in Toronto. The buds and leaves were stunted, so I had to cut two branches. Two of the Snow Lotus flowers were also damaged, but it is not too obvious.

Interestingly, my TPs have changed the blooming order again. This year, Hoki and Snow Lotus started together. High Noon hasn't started yet. The Guardian is showing some color.

Last year, Snow Lotus started (as expected because it is Rockii peony,) followed by High Noon, and then Hoki and Guardian of the Monastery. Finally, Kinkaku finished the season for me. I remember that Hoki was blooming in the same time as the “Allegro” poppy. This year, Allegro has already formed buds, but it will not bloom soon.

So here are my blooms so far

Adelman's Orphan has one bloom open. TURKEYS at several buds off of it! Thought all I had to worry about was deer! Added more fishing line down low around the entire bed, hopefully it will deter them. Otherwise, anyone want a fresh turkey?


crappy pic of Early Scout. The one in that bed looks pretty sad this year, one in front bed isn't even close to opening.


and Nova. I purchased 2 at the same time, planted fairly close together. Neither have done incredibly well here but my peonies tend to increase slower than warmer zones, anyway. 2nd Nova pretty much laid down and quit trying this year for some reason. Both plants only had 2 buds this spring, same as last year.


Roseheart--some of the more established peonies look like they're going to be beautiful this year. This one looks like it'll bust open soon!


Pretty sad 1st pic offerings but the last round of colder weather reset our bloom timeline to about the same as every other year. I still have some tulips blooming, the few the deer left look nice, anyway!

Liz, you have to rename Adelman's Orphan to Turkey Breakfast Wow, your peony season started already!
Jasmin, I really liked your Rockii last year, hope to see some pictures soon.
I think my first one is opening and instead of Rosedale ... surprise, surprise ... something totally different is unfurling. Well, it is just you can not really complain when someone is sharing a peony with you and it ends as something completely different. Probably will post a picture tomorrow - we have a heat wave in Toronto.

The hot last couple of days have moved things along here. Forecast of rain soon so here it goes...
This one may be a Bockstace but I'm not sure...


'Melissa'


'Lois'

'Prairie Butterflies'


Things are looking up in the North! Keep those pics coming.

So glad that your peony bloom season has begun Liz! After all the terrible weather that you had to put up with, here is to wishing you wonderful weather and an awesome season of peony blooms.

Tracey, your "Bess Bockstoce" looks alot like my Juliska peony.

Karen, it seems like I purchased Bess Bockstace but for some reason the peony isn't marked. I mark everything! It does resemble your Juliska photo a lot. It the center of it that is different that many other pinks. Hmmmm. It is rather striking, whatever it is.

Red Grace is also open. Certainly the Reds are never captured very well.. But wow do I love it! I actually forget just how lovely peony season really is.

Liz... Your time is near... Looking forward to all of those many, many blooms!

Yeah Alex--that turkey's breakfast is going to turn him into turkey bacon! It's almost like a bird infestation. I was glad to see them the first couple of years, we haven't had a grasshopper problem since them moved in, but they're doing too much damage in my garden beds. Didn't mind so much when all they did was displace mulch but the big toms are breaking off peony stems, eating buds and completely beheading lilies. I might invite some hunting friends over for a bow and arrow party off my deck soon.....

Tracey, I think Red Grace is the prettiest red double out there. You're right, they aren't captured well in photos but they sure are amazing in the garden!

Karen, the peony pics you've shared are gorgeous! You must have an absolutely beautiful garden!

Noticed 1 more when I was doing some last minute cleanup last night but didn't have my camera out. The pic this morning doesn't have it really open but we're supposed to have severe weather today, I might not have an opportunity to get a better one! This is Le Printemps.

Tracey, can your Bess Bockstoce be ROse Heart? They all have a closed center of petals.

Liz, I wouldn't say my garden is nice looking. The individual bushes look nice but overall, it looks like a cramped mess. The only one bed that looks nice is my iris bed right now. My peony beds look awful with some too short and some too tall and some mislabels just make the beds look messy. Definitely needing redo and rearranging in the future. Maybe when I retire.

My first one of the year and I do not have a clue what is it. Some kind of Saunders creation? It is probably not Nova as leaves are not that big and flowers look exactly like Clair de Lune.
Certainly early, fernleaf in Edwards Gardens just finished and TP are opening. About 4 inches flower, beige with yellow undertones, petals are more yellow than on my pictures. I guess I have to go back to Edwards Gardens - I remember that they have Clair de Lune and compare foliage.

Tracey, I think it is Bess Bockstoce. Mine was sold to me as Roseheart, but now I think it is BB.
It sure is lovely. And holds those big blooms up without staking.
Liz, we are both challenged by the wildlife. It's a never ending battle.