The Peony is the Queen of early summer
The Fergus Horticultural Society is especially proud of the floral beds at Terry Fox Park.
For the society’s millennium project, a pergola and new beds were built to showcase the treasured peonies on the property.
Included in the garden is an interesting collection of peonies from the estate of Wally Gilbert. He was a grower and hybridizer in Elora, who purchased the nursery from peony breeder William Brown.
At the May meeting of the Society, Reiner Jakubowski, past-president of the Canadian Peony Society presented, "Peonies: Past, Present and Future".
Jakubowski spanned herbaceous favourites and tree peonies. Herbaceous peonies are known for their large, blossoms that tumble from lush clumps of lacy green leaves. They are the ones of most interest to gardeners.
Common herbaceous peonies die back each season and while "tree" (shrub) peonies have a woody stems which are exposed to winter elements.
The herbaceous variety is divided into common and fern leaf types. Common peony flowers are grouped by bloom: single, semi-double, double, anemone and Japanese.
Colours include reds, coral, creams, pinks, purple, black, white, and yellow. By planting early, mid-season, and late flowering cultivars, you can have peonies flowering for 6 to 8 weeks.
As for scent, most doubles are more fragrant than singles, and pinks tend to be more fragrant than reds.
The peony is native to China, Europe and North America.
Nothing is more disheartening, to see the blossom that you have harbouring for the last few weeks, flattened by the weather, lying in the mud.
The Fergus Horticultural Society has commissioned a local metal worker to design peony support cages that will be used to hold up individual plants in their gardens.
Historically, peonies were meant to be cut flowers. They should be cut 18 inches down on the stem. A long neck vase makes for the best presentation.
PLANTING
When planting, choose a sunny (six hour minimum), well-drained location. A spot away from tree roots eliminates future problems of shading and dryness.
Dig a large hole and add the root, compost and soil. Water well.
Peonies are best planted, moved or divided, in the fall. However, spring is also a good time to plant if you have bought young container-grown plants.
In a pinch, they also may be moved at other times. The plant may be set back and can take an additional year to recover.
This long-lived perennial that rarely needs division will thrive in the same spot for many years. If you notice that your plants have stopped flowering, they may have become shaded or overcrowded.
Peonies have long, thick, brown tuberous roots with three to five eyes (reddish buds) on the crown.
When dividing, dig out the roots to expose the eyes. Older plants will be deeply rooted with numerous roots. With a sharp knife, divide the clump into sections, making sure that each division has three to five eyes per root.
Mature plants will reach a diameter of 36 inches. Remember to give them lots of room to develop. When planting other peonies side-by-side, plan to leave an additional 36 inches for both plants to develop.
Critical The new division must be planted so that the crown is planted no deeper than 2 inches below the soil surface. Deeper planting will prevent flowering, while shallower planting might make the buds vulnerable.
Planting too deep is the most common reason for failure of peonies to flower. If using mulch, do not cover the crown. Some varieties will take a few years to bloom, as they need to become established.
CARE
Deep watering will encourage deep rooting. Once established, peonies are very drought-resistant.
These heavy feeders require rich compost or an application of low nitrogen fertilizer, incorporated shallowly around each plant. This is beneficial in the early spring and after blooming.
Some of the older or double varieties have weak stems in relation to the heavy flowers they carry. These plants may need support.
PROBLEMS
Peony blight is a fungal disease. Symptoms include brown flower buds that do not open.
Remove and destroy (do not place in the compost) all affected foliage. It is recommended that even on healthy plants all foliage be cut to ground level and removed in fall, (again, keep out the compost) as spores will overwinter on the old foliage.
Ants are known to infest peonies which are attracted by the sweet sap on the flower buds. Though they are unpleasant, the ants do not do any harm.
Peonies are hardy, sun-loving, long-lived perennials. Remember that they grow into three foot tall by three foot wide plants. Without support they tend to droop. Try to place them at the middle or back of your prize-winning bed. These absolutely stunning blossoms will quickly become the center point.
