Peonies: growing at different paces!

I keep meaning to write about this: I used to have a Client with a big Peony bed, and I was always intrigued by how differently they grew.

Er, by which I mean, how one variety would appear a lot earlier than other varieties.

At this time of year - February - we are just starting to see the big, fat buds of Peonies appearing at soil level, which is always exciting. But then they don't do anything for quite some time. Especially if we have a cold spell.

So, this is a photo taken at the very end of March, a couple of year back:

This is part of the Peony bed, and you can see that it's still early in the year, because the pot on the shingle is still wrapped up in fleece, for the winter.

And what do we have, in our Peony bed?

Closest to the bottom, on the right, we have something still at ground level.

Above it, on the right-hand edge, we have a clump of upright red shoots.

And to the left of that, we have greenery!

In detail, then: 

This one is Barrington Belle, which will have large, dark pink flowers with a jazzy yellow centre.

As you can see, the buds are barely breaking the surface of the soil.

The second one is Coral Faye, or possibly Fay (the original label said Faye) and they will have loosely rounded, cup-shaped blossoms, later on: in, as the name would suggest, a shade of pink.

And on this day, we have good strong shoots, looking lush and wonderful, full of promise.

Startlingly further ahead that the Barrington Belle!

And the third one, in this small comparison, is called Flame, and it has buds!

Not just lush foliage, but actual buds!

Isn't that extraordinary?

How can there be three varieties of Paeonia lactiflora, growing in the same bed, with the same soil, weather conditions etc, and yet they grow at such different rates?

 

I never cease to be amazed, entertained, and entranced by my job! 

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