Monday, June 8, 2015

More Peonies


There is something about peonies. They are just so extravagant: big, blowsy and beautifully fragrant. They swirl into spring, elegantly dressed in pinks, first these ones, then my deep rose-coloured variety and finally the creamy ones which are still tightly bound buds in the front garden. In the collage above are the old-fashioned kind that fall over with their own weight and dance along the surface of the grass. Especially today, with heavy rain this morning and more to come later. My mother always said a downpour was guaranteed when peonies were in bloom.





I wonder what readers who live in warmer climes think about the adoration so many northerners have for peonies, these hardy plants that will live for a hundred years. Maybe that is a significant part of their appeal; they not only cope with the seasons, they appreciate the cold weather.



Yesterday found me sitting on the ground and breathing in the scent from these lush beauties. I was supposed to be weeding. I get the strangest things taking up residence in my yard, uninvited. At one point, my hands were stinging after grabbing a mystery plant to remove it and finding the little hairs on it had the inclination to fight back. There is a reason why people wear gardening gloves. Lesson learned.


Some of my peonies have wandered indoors, one by my bedside and a bouquet by the apple tortes that were cooling for a potluck dinner in the countryside at the animal rescue site. (You met my new foster, Purl, in my last post.)


I hope you're enjoying whatever is blooming at your home or in your region.

With pleasure, I'm joining Judith for Mosaic Monday.
Thank you for visiting. 
Karen

23 comments:

  1. I'm so jealous! Your peonies are beautiful. I'd love to plant some very soon.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Your mother was right. My peonies are all in bloom and we have a tornado watch with thunderstorms on the way!
    You know I love peonies - yours are beautiful!
    xo
    Claudia

    ReplyDelete
  3. Peonies are such beautiful full flowers. Too bad they don't last longer. Those apple tortes look real good, too!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Oh they are beautiful . Wonderful photos . I wear gardening gloves now because a few years ago I had touched something whilst weeding and my hand ballooned up we also figured I had touched some type of weed that had a defense to it . I am catching up on blogs as I to have been busy in the gardens and it has been raining here all day so a good time to do so ! Thanks for sharing , Have a good day ! P.S the apple tortes look YUMMY !

    ReplyDelete
  5. Oh my goodness!! I love peonies and yours are fantastic! Wow wouldn't I liive to be sitting in your garden enjoying the beautiful blooms and scents of these flowers. Lately I have been thinking if them as they are so beautiful and deer don't like them, a friend wants to get rid of hers(???) would it be a good time to dig them up? It's pretty hot here (35)? Your apple tarts look so good!! Yum! I love your pretty China peeking out from your cabinet! Have fun at the potluck!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Oh be still my heart...stunning peonies and what beautiful pictures of them...yes a heavenly scent!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Good Morning、Karen,
    Long time no see! Glad to visit you again and enjoyed your garden. Yes, your pink flowers are so elegant. That is what I always love and love.
    Have a happy day!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Hi Karen, I love your peonies! Such a beautiful old-fashioned flower ... what's not to love? I have three in my gardens, one is finished already, but there are two still ready to burst. Seeing these beauties in your garden make me want to go shopping for a couple of more varieties. Thanks for stopping by and for following. I'm now following along with your gardening and cat fostering adventures. Enjoy your week!
    Wendy

    ReplyDelete
  9. I like the light pink peony Karen, looks like Sarah Bernhardt? Did you grab some stinging nettle, I've done that a couple of times and those pesky prickly hairs stay in your fingers. I'd like to know how it finds it way into the garden, also had an adventure with sticky willy one summer. :-)
    Luckily my peonies weren't open enough to be beaten down by the rain but there's always another day.
    Thanks for linking to Mosaic Monday.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Oh, my...MORE?! How wonderful! You are a very savvy gardener, my friend, to have planted so many bushes of these beauties, to always be blessed with colourful, fragrant blooms throughout the spring! My favourite, as you know, is the pastel-y pink one, for it is what comes to mind, when I picture them in my imagination, which I have had to do for many years, living on a Mediterranean island. But, for the past month, I have come across both the creamy white and the deeper pink, and having breathed in their scent, the pale pink ones remain my favourite.

    I so enjoyed your post today, on our beloved belles; it is gorgeous inspiration, as I wait for the arrival of my brother-in-law's, which are brewing to burst onto the late spring stage!

    Wishing you a lovely week.

    Poppy

    ReplyDelete
  11. I love peonies and I think they come at the perfect time of year...just when the lilacs end and before the hydrangeas. Yours are stunning!

    Jane x

    ReplyDelete
  12. Hello Karen, your peonies are gorgeous! Wonderful colours.
    Your new header is lovely too.
    Have a great week!

    ReplyDelete
  13. I agree 'extravagant' is such a spot-on word for peonies and you have taken some lovely photographs, such depths of colours, your apple torte looks pretty special too!
    Wren x

    ReplyDelete
  14. I just love your beautiful pink peonies. Lovely post and images. The apple torte looks delicious! Have a happy Tuesday!

    ReplyDelete
  15. Your peonies are gorgeous. The rain yesterday probably finished off most of mine. The apple torte looks mouth watering. Hope Purl is settling in well.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Oh my...such stunning images of one of my favorite flowers! I can almost smell them :)

    ReplyDelete
  17. Wowie! Gorgeous peonies!!
    We need to plant some here at Mill Hill Meadow....seeing yours just solidified that idea!

    Have a nice day.
    ~K.

    ReplyDelete
  18. Karen, what lovely photo's. I've always liked peonies and interestingly my mum also used to say that the peonies although lovely usually meant rain was on it's way ! I think invariably the rain would come and those lovely blooms dis-appeared BUT they are lovely to look at and enjoy. Even better when you can take and share lovely photo's.

    All the best Jan

    ReplyDelete
  19. Your peonies are so beautiful!! One of my most favourite fliers for sure!! xx

    ReplyDelete
  20. Karen, extravagant is exactly the word for them. Beautiful photos, I especially love the one with the bokeh background. Well done.

    ReplyDelete
  21. There is just something luscious about the beauty of Peonies~

    ReplyDelete
  22. Love, love, love!!!! I think your mom was right about a downpour when the peonies are in full bloom. It seems to, anyway. Have a great day!

    ReplyDelete
  23. Such wonderful pictures of your peonies, they are so gorgeous! I love their lushness and delicious colours. So glad you have Pearl to foster now. Happy weekend.
    Helen xox

    ReplyDelete

LinkWithin

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...