Oh Annette, that is sad. I think if you get them covered up this weekend they should go on and bloom. If you can pull the rotten parts out and dab around the remaining roots with a cotton ball soaked in a dilute bleach solution that would help prevent further rot. With Hostas you would pull the entire plant and soak in bleach solution, but that is not feasible for peonies.

Craig, thanks for the compliments. I am going to try to take photos of my other peony beds this year. As I work a full time job it is hard to keep up with the weeding.

Yes, I too am sorry to hear of some possible losses of your peonies, Annette. Hopefully, you will be able to salvage them.

LG, what weeds are you talking about? I see only nice rows of beautiful peonies and garden. Hope that you will be able to take some pics during day time with sun. I think it would look magical with the sunlight filtering through the trees onto the peonies. Your garden looks like it is such a wonderful and peaceful place to relax after a day's work.

Karen, Here's a photo up in the shade spot with my blue heeler, Jade.

Well, typical here the temp went to 45F and everything is turning to slush, at least on the roads. Then the snow just starts to pack down with moisture. Still, better this than cold dry winter. That is the kiss of death. I am not worried. Not like some getting flooding or simply excess rain.

I drool over all these lovely and so well laid out gardens. I have no talent for that so console myself with at least having flowers.

Yan, Karen, Annette, LG, Craig and Jim--LOVE all of the pictures! I've worked 12 hour shifts the last several days so haven't taken a lot of time to write but I've jumped online to drool over the pictures added every day! Annette and Karen--I'm definitely trying clematis again this year because of your photos! Craig--I think we have the same spacing mentality with our peonies--mine are lucky to have 18" and will be incredibly crowded if they ever mature! LG--I so miss having large deciduous trees, just pines here in my part of CO until the maples my husband planted fill in--decades away! Gorgeous gardens all! Looking forward to seeing even more pics this spring!

Thank you all for posting these beautiful pictures. It is amazing how many different garden styles can be accomplished with relatively similar plants; that is peonies. The best gardens are those that reflect the style and personality of their creators.

Here is my story. I had really bad neighbors who were harassing me for years. Among other things, in 2013, they started vandalizing my garden on a daily basis. Because of them, I stopped investing in my property, and I knew that the whole thing would eventually end up at court. I had three tree peonies for more than ten years, and I did not want to bring more of them because of the neighbors - they hated flowers. Anyway, in 2013 I bought two more three peonies from the Cricket Hill gardens, but that was all. All other plants were rescued plants. I didn't event want to repair the fence, deck or pathways, because I could never know what the neighbors could destroy. I did take care of the plants that I had though.

Fortunately, the evil neighbors sold the house and moved out last year. Finally, I could start thinking about the renovation and how to improve the garden. The first thing I did was to put back the arbor that was marking the entrance into the garden. The neighbors really hated that arbor and they kept vandalizing it. This first picture below was taken when I put the arbor back. This year, I plan to put back the pathways, which I removed in order to discourage the neighbors of entering the garden (it didn't work.)

The garden is very small, circa 25'x50', and that includes the deck and “sunken” patio. Since it is so small, it's easy to give you a tour through the garden. The red tree peony is Hoki, and it is pretty much in the center of the garden.



Now I am standing above Hoki and looking down towards the end of the garden. That is where I planted tree more Cricket Hill three peonies last fall.



Now I am behind Hoki looking up towards the house and the deck. The yellow peony is High Noon.





Here are HIgh Noon and nodding Kinkaku.



I expected Kinkaku flowers to "hang" towards the patio, which is just behind the plant. But no, the flowers turn in the opposite direction; of course, they follow the sun. I should have known that.



This is the view from the patio. Kinkaku (on the right) was supposed to have flowers hanging in this direction. Good idea, but it didn't work.



This is my front garden, very small, circa 15'x19'. These are Snow Lotus and the Guardian of the Monastery in the small peony bed behind the yellow magnolia (you can see the yellow petals on the ground.) I also planted Hana Kisoi there last September.


The same peony bed (on the right) from the other side. The pink herbaceous peony was rescued from a neglected garden in November 2014. It didn't bloom very first year, but the second year. I have other herbaceous peonies, but they are all rescued and they are still small. Hopefully, they will take off in a couple of years.



And now you saw my whole garden. Please keep your fingers crossed for those 4 new tree peonies.

Jasmin, sorry to hear your story but the ens is happy Thank you for the pictures, your garden is lovely. I hope your new peonies and rescued ones will grow and flower.

Jasmin,
I am so shocked, sad, and sorry that you had to live terrorized by those people for so many years. It's a wonder that nothing else happened. I pray that you now have good neighbors that will let you pursue your own happiness.

Your garden can recover and it soon be a source of only happiness to you!

I also have the problem of flowers blooming towards the sun with my daylilies. They rarely face the bench I sit on in the evenings to view the garden.

Thanks for sharing your story with us. Life isn't fair, but I believe you reap what you sow. Those bad people will face the consequences of their actions.

Jasmin,

Thanks for sharing your story, and I'm sorry to hear that you've had such a traumatizing experience with your neighbors. It's wonderful that they have finally moved away, and you can now get to enjoy your garden again.

I love the lush look of your garden, and the pops of color from your peonies standing out from the various shapes and kinds of foliage. You've done a wonderful job with getting your tree peonies to grow and bloom successfully!

I too am sorry to hear about your neighbors, Jasmin. Why can't people just leave other people alone? It is shocking to me to hear that your neighbors encroach, trespass, and vandalize your property. I am glad that they moved away so that you can enjoy your garden the way that you want. Your tree peonies are so beautiful and garden looks so lush as Annette noted. I am sure now that you don't have the neighbor's interference and negative vibes, your restoration will make it even more beautiful and a place that you can find peace and solace.

Karen what is the flower avatar you have now. Probably have had for a while and I am just now noticing.

Jasmin, as has been mentioned, while we should never wish evil upon others (although a cleverly hidden bear trap might do it ), life/fate has a way of returning to you what you 'give' to others. I also think that now that the negative vibes' from next door are gone, both you and your garden will flourish.

I so wish my Guardian of the Monastery had survived. It is soooo lovely. But as everyone says, hardly have met a flower I didn't love. I don't really have a peony garden, just a garden with peonies. I will look to see if I have any that show the garden as a whole. I tend to take closeups more than long shots.

Mary, that is a bloom off my Alnwick rose. Some David Austin roses do very well in my area. They are covered with blooms in spring and they smell so nice.

Here are some shots of my garden. I don't think there is a peony one showing. Need to dig more

This is the front beds; dug the kidney and rim bed up and joined them

Shot from a little tiny hill overlooking the pond

Thank you all for your kind words. I am looking forward to some serious editing work in my garden this year. Back-breaking though. Since I am building on the urban forest/permaculture/organic principles, there will be no cement or anything like that, but still, I'll have to do some digging and leveling.

Mary, love your lush borders. Beautiful garden themes. Love the dahlia circle. The pathway in the fourth picture is very intriguing. I would love to explore it further to see where it leads.

Jim, I admired your garden. Classic beauty. What is the red climber on the arbor? Is that a red rose? What is growing in a big urn? Is that a perennial?

Mary,
What a lovely garden you had! I wish I can do something like that in my own garden, very well planned and organized, that pond add points to it too. Love it!

Oh, so beautiful! Thanks for posting lovely images of your gardens! I have just a few flower beds and am in the process of making a peony garden. We grow vegetables also. The flower beds look like jungles by the end of summer
This is a small part of a bed, here mostly annuals in flowers.

Wow Mary Stella, your garden looks fabulous. So many layers. I really like the defined paths. And the dahlias are fantastic.
Thanks so much for sharing with us.

I echo the sentiments of others with regards to your garden, Mary. You have great aesthetic for design as well combining plants for pleasing effect. Just gorgeous!

anyagoro said:Oh, so beautiful! Thanks for posting lovely images of your gardens! I have just a few flower beds and am in the process of making a peony garden. We grow vegetables also. The flower beds look like jungles by the end of summer
This is a small part of a bed, here mostly annuals in flowers.

Anya
I do had a lot of annuals in one part of my garden, my mom grows vegetable too, so yes, it really looks like a jungle in the Summer. Me and the yellow finch loved the Cosmos, I love the flower and the birds love the seeds, I always plant a couple of them every year.