A new thread for northern gardeners who are just starting to see rosy snouts.

Salmon Dream 1st year




Red Charm 2nd year

Oh great. I have less growth than you but do have the following with red pips:
Early Scout
Coral Sunset
Pink Hawaiin Coral
Petite Renee
Border Charm
TP Guardian of the Monastery
TP Shimane Cho Juraku

Nothing big enough to take a picture of but hopefully soon. Thanks for this thread.

My computer and phone/Ipad don't want to play well together right now. I'll post some pics of new growth when I can figure out a way to mass import my pictures again--don't want to have to email all to myself!

My peonies are still under snow. Last 10 days were not warm so snow almost stopped melting (see pictures). The forecast is good and hopefully all slopes will be free of snow very soon Looking forward to see new growth.

We're having rain with a few pellets of ice in it today. It's in the high 40s and only supposed to get down to mid 30s tonight, hoping there is no snow in my future until next winter!

We had snow on 7 or 8 of April - exactly like last year, but it melted rather quickly. A few days ago we had frost and I would not be surprised to see frost and snow in the middle of May. Anya, you are in Extreme North Area compare to Toronto

My TPs are growing. Snow Lotus has four or five disfigured buds. Hope the rest will be OK. I believe it was cold because the outer, more exposed buds were damaged. It is weird, because we didn't have that much cold. It was plated in the fall 2013. I remember that we had late snow in spring 2014, but it didn't affect the blooms. I wonder what happened this year. The other Gansu Rockii, which was planted in September 2016 has one bigger bud, but I am not sure if the bud is OK. The color is kind of yellowish. It looks as the Gansu Rockiis didn't like something this spring.

Houki and High Noon are doing OK. Houki might have less buds than usual, we shall see. Kinkaku lost one branch but it has a new growth, so I don't worry. Other little tree TPs planted in September are doing very well. The Black Dragon Holds a Splendid Flower (aka Black Dragon) has four new shoots. It looks very strong. Leda is just unfolding, and Hana Kisoi is also growing nicely.

My herbaceous peonies are also above the ground. Blaze is doing very well, very strong growth. It is too early to say about the other peonies. I will know more in a couple of weeks.

Good reports from all of you!👍🏻👍🏻

Jasmin, aren't the Gansu Rockiis supposed to be really tough and weather resistant? I'd deliberately started looking for that strain because of the cold tolerance they're supposed to have, should I reconsider? Won't be needing it in a few years, everything checked out and we're closing on the land in Alabama on Monday. Can't decide if I'm excited or scared, going from zone 4b high desert to zone 8 humid....and probably 5000' difference in altitude as well. I have a few years to plan and make adjustments, though.

Your peonies are looking great, Alex! Though I recommend Salmon Dream to you, it is not a robust grower for me. I hope yours will grow and bloom better than mine.

Mary and Jasmin, looking forward to seeing your TP blooms esp. Guardian of the Monastery. Since your recommendation of it Jasmin, I can't stop looking at its pics.

Anya, you, Mary, and Liz are such troopers for holding up so well with the snow and cold and weather extremes. Hope you all will be rewarded with beautiful blooms.

Thanks, Karen! I hope no weather extremes until next winter!

It's nice to here about peonies from the north. I hope that you all get warmer weather soon so that you all can start your peony season.

My peonies are just starting to peak out of the ground. And we're still getting snow every 3-4 days. It melts in between, but the temps overnight are still getting to -2C on those days, so if I see a little red tip, I've been covering it back up with dried leaves.

Saw Battle Flag peeking through the soil. Still have a snow bank on one bed but Lemon Chiffon is right on the edge in the front. Should be out from under today. But the ground in that bed is sodden. Interesting since it is a new bed and the soil is not compacted.

I uncovered my rhododendron two days ago. Poor thing was crushed beneath its cover but hopefully it will spring back up. At least all the flower buds look healthy. And my azalea bush, tiny little guy, looks to be about ready to pop with either leaves or flowers. Not sure which.

Good news Mary Stella!

And Connie, just hang in there! I can't wait to see pics from both of you as my peonies are done by the end of May.

Oberon46 said:
I uncovered my rhododendron two days ago. Poor thing was crushed beneath its cover but hopefully it will spring back up. At least all the flower buds look healthy. And my azalea bush, tiny little guy, looks to be about ready to pop with either leaves or flowers. Not sure which.

Mary, I also have a rhododendron and don't cover it though we have a snow cover the whole winter. Maybe it is a different variety, a tougher one. The plant is right under the deck where all snow from it is shoveled down. The rhododendron is almost free of snow now and looks good. (sorry for unrelated to peonies subject ).

Peonies starting to come up in warm parts of yard.
Yard is shaded so some not showing yet.
I am not covering any of them as I think they take a degree or two of freezing.

I have not covered it in the past Anya and the buds were fried brown even after coming out of winter ok. I read it was wind and sun so I started covering it. It is too big to get covered in snow plus in spring it is uncovered (snow gone around the top) early on leaving the tender buds exposed to sun and wind.

Perhaps yours is more protected by snow and your deck. Not so much direct sun??

I was making a windbreak/sun protector for my rhododendron for last 2 years and thinking about moving it to different location ( too much trouble to do it every year ) - too much sun is killing it, the same as Alberta spruce - yellow needles, leaves etc. Moved Alberta spruce twice - keeping my fingers crossed, first year I do not have to do anything to clean the dead needles. On the edge of ceder shade - I guess perfect location for rhododendron as well.

Oberon46 said:I have not covered it in the past Anya and the buds were fried brown even after coming out of winter ok. I read it was wind and sun so I started covering it. It is too big to get covered in snow plus in spring it is uncovered (snow gone around the top) early on leaving the tender buds exposed to sun and wind.

Perhaps yours is more protected by snow and your deck. Not so much direct sun??

I have it for 2 years now and moved it last summer few yards up the slope close to the deck (to make room for peonies ). It's in full sun as recommended (variety 'Haaga'). Last spring it flowered great, still a small bush, we'll see how it does this spring. Photo from last year.