Sometimes a fondness for a particular flower can be the inspiration that creates a gardener, but more often than not, you're thrilled just to get anything to grow at all when you are a novice.
With knowledge and experience, a preference for certain flowers develops over time. Before long there are a few plants you love so much that you start collecting them.
Peony: The Best Varieties for your Garden could well make a great guide for the novice gardener, but I think this book is even better suited to the slightly more experienced gardener who wants to collect peonies.
The book's contents in a nutshell:
• Introduction
• How to use this Book
• History and Origins
• Kinds of Peonies
• The Joy of Gardening
• Planting and Care
• Cut Flowers
• Bush Peonies
• Intersectional Peonies
• Tree Peonies
• Resources
• Further Reading
• Photo Credits
• Index
For those who want to learn more about peonies, this book offers a comprehensive reference to different flower forms, types of peonies and how to grow them. There is also a helpful section on companion planting.
The plant collector will love thumbing through the glossary of glorious peonies. Temptation can be found on every page in the form of beautiful photographs.
Peonies at the Royal Botanical Garden in Hamilton.
Peonies in a private garden.
Very frilly pink peony at the Royal Botanical Garden in Hamilton.
Thomas Allen & Sons has kindly given me a copy of Peony: The Best Varieties for your Garden to give away. Because this book will go to a winner through the mail, I will have to limit entry to readers in Canada and the USA.
Please leave a comment below if you would like to be included in the book draw. The draw will remain open until Wednesday, July 31st. If you are not a blogger, you can enter by leaving a comment on the Three Dogs in a Garden Facebook page (there is an additional link to the Facebook page at the bottom of the blog). As always, you are also welcome to enter by sending me an email (jenc_art@hotmail.com).
Beautiful photos, would love to read this book. Peony's have been a favorite for a while. Just wish that God had extended their bloom time a little longer! Thanks
ReplyDeleteOh my, I would absolutely love this! Peonies are my favorite flower and I'm slowly starting to build my collection. The first thing I did to our garden when we moved here two years ago was plant peonies---and they bloomed beautifully this year for the first time!
ReplyDeleteI have a few peonies growing in my garden and inherited some white ones that bloom even though they are in the shade. My dad had some lovely peonies, I remember them from when I was 12 years old. I too wish their blooms lasted a week longer.
ReplyDeleteI adore peonies! I had 12 varieties growing in my garden at my last house. I would love to win this book! Thanks Jennifer!
ReplyDeleteWe have several varieties we rescued from old neighborhoods that were being torn down. Would love to learn more about them
ReplyDeletePeonies are my favorite flower. I'd love this book.
ReplyDeleteThis book looks magical! My best memories of my childhood are helping my grandmother take care of all of her peonies.
ReplyDeleteWould love this book!! Red peonies are gorgeous, actually they all are lovely..
ReplyDeleteI love peonies! I could use this book - two of my peonies transplanted from my parent's home haven't bloomed...
ReplyDeleteYears ago I was doing an old homestead "plant salvage" before developers tore the place apart. My aim was to rescue as many maidenhair ferns as possible. The homestead had disappeared years ago but it was early spring and I found several plants emerging from their winter slumber. One was the most beautiful Peony, various Bearded Iris and Rhubarb that was just emerging. I planted a lot of those rescued plants in other gardens and a public easement and some still live in peace in my garden just down the road from their original home. I love that Peony and each year she get more and more beautiful.
ReplyDeleteLooks like a wonderful book about a gorgeous plant! Thanks for a chance to win it.
ReplyDeleteI would love to enter for a chance for this book. Peonies are my favorite flower. :) Thank you!
ReplyDeleteHello, Please include me in the book draw, thanks so much.
ReplyDeleteWhen I first moved into my house in 1985 there were so many peony varieties I felt I should learn all I could about this plant I knew nothing about. Now, of course, they have become a passion and I'd love to learn more.
Ren
I have just discovered the beauty of peonies -- my new home had some and they bloomed for weeks! So gorgeous and scented that I had to order some for the fall! I also just wanted to add that I love all the gardens you showcase and really enjoy the beautiful pictures. Because of this blog I have been trying to track down the pink lemonade false indigo to no avail, sighhh.
ReplyDeleteI don't have any peonies so I'll pass on the book but I've missed you and your blog! I'm back to blogging. :o)
ReplyDeleteWhen I first started gardening in Canada, the peony quickly became one of my favourite perennials in my zone 5b garden.
ReplyDeleteMy late Dad's favourite plant.... with this book hopefully I can plant some of my own :)
ReplyDeletePeonies are one of my favourites. It wasn't until I started to grow them that I realized there is more then one kind, the first bunch I planted weren't the frilly ones I remembered from my childhood. Thank you for a chance to win this book.
ReplyDeleteI live near the former Peony Capitol of the World and peonies are a BIG DEAL here. I'd love this book, I just know it!
ReplyDeleteJennifer, your photos are always so stunning!
I love peonies as they are a guaranteed survivor in Atlantic Canada. Even tree Peonies do well here. I would love to win this book and thank you for the opportunity to try and win.
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