My Own Little Peony Festival

In my last post, I showed some photos of the local Peony Festival and mentioned that I'd return (somewhat belatedly) with some peonies from my own garden.

The mid and deep peonies have been finished for awhile now, with the exception of a few small secondary blooms.

It's the lushness and sweet fragrance that appeal to me and, I know, to many of you.

This rich colour comes on peonies that stand on their own without any support. Of course, I don't recall the name, but I do appreciate their fortitude, if one can apply such a virtue to a plant.

The palest of my peonies lives in the shadow of a forsythia shrub for part of the day and, as a result, blooms later than the others. I picked a bouquet this afternoon, shown in the lavender and white jug. It's a pleasure to bring some blooms indoors to enjoy.

Claire the Foster Puss has not been above a bit of exploration, which led to the strategic placement of some arrangements. (For those who have been interested in Claire's story, I'll have an update next time.)

The peonies may be almost gone, but that means the roses are coming along. 

Don't you love a garden!

Thank you for your visits and comments. Both are appreciated!

I'm happy, after a long absence, to be linking with Mary at Little Red House.
For the first time, I pleased to be joining Trishie at Under Lock and Key

Peony Festival

Last weekend was a beautiful one for the local Peony Festival.  This is one of many beds in the garden that features over 300 varieties of peonies. I wonder if the number of cameras there rivaled the number of plants.

Some featured entertainment included these three young women who played pieces of Chinese music, in recognition of the significance of the peony as China's national flower. I did, however, hear them slip in their rendition of "Red River Valley".

There was a great deal of loveliness in the park by the creek. In my next post, I'll have to show some of my own peonies. I don't have many varieties, but at least I can pick bouquets of them to enjoy indoors.

Thank you for visiting. I may be a bit slow in responding to your comments as my laptop is out for repairs and the netbook tends to slog along. I will get back to you, though!

Hoping you have plenty of blooms to enjoy,
Karen

Two Quick Photos

 Marlys is hosting a link-up called Almost Wordless Wednesday.

She was a regular participant in my wintertime gathering, Sunlit Sunday, and I'm pleased to return the favour!

If you wish, you can join in here.

Thank you for visiting me today.

In the Pink

These have faded now, but a few days ago there were still tulips in the back garden.

It's a treat for me to look at a bit of prettiness because I'm in the midst of clearing out the shed, one of the jobs that is long overdue. There are tools, pots, a lawn mower and a couple of bikes decorating the lawn at the moment, as well as several bags of garbage.

This little one dropped by on my last big gardening day. Some of us know how to enjoy the glorious springtime and take a few minutes to luxuriate in a beautiful morning.

A new, simple garden is at the base of the magnolia tree. I put up the circular border (after digging it out from where it had sunk, elsewhere, deep into the earth), corralled some forget-me-nots that were springing up in the grass, and added a few impatiens for a bit of colour in a shady spot.

Let's just pretend I'm here solely because I'm long overdue with a post and not because I'm avoiding the remaining work in the shed. Although, once I get the blue stain off the window (I know, sloppy of me), I may just make it a little lace curtain!

Here's a happy sign; my peonies are in bud. In a local park, there is a Peony Festival in this community each spring. Normally, it would be held this weekend, but it has been postponed until next week. The harsh winter has definitely had lingering effects. Soon, though, there will be big, blowsy peonies.

Foster puss Claire is still making things beautiful around the house. The lovely woman who was interested in adopting her is unable to pursue that right now, much to her dismay. Perhaps it's just as well; Claire just had a vet appointment, as a result of some concern over an issue she was having. With the medication she'll be getting come Monday, she'll be over an infection, in the pink, and ready for adoption very soon.

It certainly hasn't affected Claire's appetite or playful activities. If only I could train my camera on her while she attacks her favourite target, the scatter mat!

Hoping all is well with you,
Karen