Peonies are my absolute favourite flowers. There is no way I could grow one in Brisbane, but I have a crimson peony in a pot on my balcony in Bagni di Lucca. In winter I take the pot to the garden of my friend Rina, where it is more sheltered. As soon as the weather warmed up in spring I brought it home to watch it grow.
the first shoots
back home on the balcony
A few days on and the progress is amazing.
growing
the duck keeps an eye on them – sometimes
While we were away in Spain the plant grew like crazy.
after 2 weeks in Spain
The buds appeared a week later.
baby peonies
I can’t wait
A week later and the buds are growing.
flower buds
almost a peonie
At about this stage it stalled and didn’t seem to go anywhere for ages. Ants attacked the flower buds and I blasted them with pest spray.
still a bud
ants attack the peony
One of the flowers finally opened the day before I left Bagni di Lucca. It wasn’t as good as usual, but it wasn’t too bad. I wonder if the others will open.
finally it opened
isn’t it lovely?
better late than never
I’ll have to read up on peonies before next spring. The flowers on other bushes were the size of dinner plates, so I must be doing something wrong. Any suggestions out there?
March 2019. This peony now lives at our mountain house, Casa Debbio. It is thriving! The first year after its move about 6 years ago it grew, but produced no flowers. The next year there were a few. Last spring it gave us about 60 blooms! It my favourite peony out of the 65 growing in the garden.