Peonies with a Past

My girls are here again showing off their frilly pink skirts! I wait for them all year long and get so excited when I see the first buds. I always cut them and fill vases throughout the house to enjoy their beauty indoors as well.

It amazes me when I see what a whole lot of neglect can produce in my garden.

This particular variety is the first to bloom. It's called Sorbet. Lovely, no? This plant was in my great great grandmother's garden and each generation since has taken a start of it. When we moved into our house 4 years ago, my parents came for a visit and brought clippings of 3 Peony plants from my mom's garden. They were teeny tiny, and George ran them over with the lawn mower. He said they looked like weeds. I was pregnant with Mario and stood in the yard screaming at him and crying like a nut case. I'll blame it on pregnancy-related hormones! Oh, I laugh as I type this. Poor guy. He really is a gem.

Now, those teeny tiny starts are huge, shrub-like plants that need support cages to hold them up.  I hope someday I can pass them on to a future daughter-in-law or maybe a daughter (no I'm not pregnant!) who enjoys gardening. They would have then been enjoyed by 6 generations....and who knows how many more in the future? I doubt my great great grandmother ever thought that I would have her Peony plants in my garden. It's a little bit of her legacy that still lives on.

Comments

[joyce]

Peonies are one of my faves. I also love the legacy of the peony plants. Have a merry rest of the day Andrea.

[Rosemary]

Those are sooo pretty Andrea!!
Love the color.
Rosemary

[www.flaviasoapsandmore.typepad.com]

I too love peonies, I have 4 shrubs in my yard, these came with the house and I love them!!! But every morning (this month) I look outside and the buds are there, but they have not yet open!!!! My daughter's birthday is this week and they are usually ready by then, I love to see the house filled with them!!!! I hope you enjoy yours as much as I will enjoy mine!!!!

Chiara

[tiffany~shabby scraps]

Andrea, these are beautiful. I have the same ones, but mine are no where ready to bloom yet in this aweful washington weather! I would be crying hysterically (even without being pregnant!) if my Dear Husband were to run these lovelies over!
xo, Tiffany

[Melissa]

What a wonderful way to honor and preserve the past! GORGEOUS!!!

[Shana]

Lovely!!! I have the same ones but mine are not open yet. Can't wait. I look at them every day hoping for one of them to have burst open with their beautiful color.

[beth]

This past weekend, my Tom just ran over a bunch of iris plants that haven't bloomed yet, I can relate. I stood at the door with my hands on my hips. (I told him as nicely as I could to go get a coffee or I might say something I regret) I dug them up and transplanted them from my sister's garden...drove them 5 hours to my home and barely got them in the ground before the cold set in.

The pink peonies are lovely.

[Susan Elliott]

Andrea, I love the peonies in my yard too so I was delighted to see your post. What a beautiful variety!

[candy]

soooo pretty!

:) candy

[robin~thrifty miss priss]

They are certainly beautiful, but ALL THE MORE SPECIAL because they belonged to your Great Great Grandmother! How wonderful to tend to those little plants (or not!) and think of all the relatives before you, how different their lives were!
and.....I've done the screaming and stomping in the yard thing too, over so called weeds!

[Teri]

They're beautiful and what a wonderful story. I have some hostas from my grandparents garden, that I treasure as well.

[Betty Jo]

Those are exquisite!! xoxo

[Becky Caldwell]

Andrea-
What a wonderful story and such lovely flowers. I adore the color- they are yummy!

[Debe]

I so envy your peonies. Texas is just to hot but I lust after those beauties. Our grocery will get a few but not that lovely. Thanks for sharing!

[laurie]

Peonies are my favorites. Mine are budded but not opening yet...I can't wait. Your pregnancy scene yelling at your husband reminded me of when I had a fit because my husband had picked corn from the garden and brought it in and left it on the counter for me to shuck! I had a total yelling fit! Glad those days are past.

[Melanie S]

OH. These are so beautiful. I wish we could grow them here. Thanks for sharing with us.

[Suzette]

Gorgeous peonies!! I have been wanting to plant some in urns in my back yard but I am afraid the heat and low to no humidity (I live in Nevada) wouldn't be good for them. I think I may try anyway and your lovely pictures have inspired me to try.

[Kim]

So beautiful! I have 3 peony bushes in the backyard. They are perking up after a long winter -- I can't wait to see their blooms. They always make me smile.

[Leah C]

Peonies are such a beautiful flower. How special it must be to have some that once bloomed for your great-great grandma:)

[Gabriela Delworth]

Oh my!

These spectacular variegated peonies!

Gabriela

[Nancy]

Oh Andrea...your peonies are just so beautiful. I think it is wonderful to have such a lovely remembrance of family. I, too, look at the few little things from my "Nana" and think of her fondly.

Your family has taken such care to pass on such beauty in nature.

Have a great week!
Hugs, Nancy

[Holly Abston]

Oh, I love peonies. I planted some last year and they didn't do anything, thought they were dead, then this year they sprouted! I didn't get any blooms from them this year, but they look healthy, so I'm hopeful for next spring. Yours are gorgeous. Made even more beautiful by the sweet sentimental connection to your mother, grand mother and great grandmothers. How lovely.

[cara]

That is so lovely. What beautiful flowers.

[cara]

That is so lovely. What beautiful flowers.

[Trish]

I love peonys too, I bought one for my garden this year, its our second in this house and already it seems to be sprouting a bud :)