Tree Peonies

What is it that focuses your attention on the gentle curves of a white flower? Is it the lack of colour that accentuates the shape and the translucence of a white petal? Whatever the reason, there is something magical about the soft lines of a white peony in flower. 

Years ago I saw the most exquisite white Tree Peony at the Royal Botanical Garden in Hamilton and I promised myself that, if I ever saw a similar peony for sale, I would buy it on the spot. 

By chance, I finally came across a single white Tree Peony last week. Fall is actually the best time to buy and plant any type of peony, but I was so taken with this beauty, I decided to overlook the season and the considerable expense (almost $50), and purchase it.

Fresh growth on my Tree Peony is carried on stems that are a soft magenta color.

Newly emerging green foliage is edged with a deep rose colour.

I have lots of experience growing herbaceous peonies, but none with Tree Peonies. Some research was therefore in order. I gave my peony a drink and left it on a garden bench in the sun, while I went inside to look up some basic facts.

I grabbed a coffee and sat down to read the plant tag as the first order of business. The first words on the label were a warning:

Before you plant

If you don't have a chance to plant your peony immediately after you purchase it, make sure it is in a lightly shaded spot out of the sun's direct rays while it waits to find a home in your garden. Don't allow it to dry out. Keep the soil in the pot moist.

Oops! I ran out to rescue my peony from the sunny bench where I had left it.

Tree Peonies are actually a woody shrub. 

They come in colours beyond white: pink, red, coral, purple, yellow and blends of different colours. Tree Peonies grow slowly. It may take 5-10 years for them to reach their mature size.

Choosing a Site

Peonies of all types dislike being moved. Choosing the right spot for my new peony, therefore, required some careful consideration. Too much sun and the flower petals might fade. Too much shade and the peony would have weak, slow growth. Peonies also like some protection from the wind. 

And on top of all that, you need to keep in mind that a Tree Peony will require lots of room to grow. They can reach 4-7 feet in height and 4-5 feet wide! An ideal spot would be a sheltered location with morning sun and a little bit of dappled shade during the hottest hours of the day. 

Hmm....in what area of my garden was there morning sun and light afternoon shade?

When best to plant a Tree Peony

The best time to plant any type of Peony is in the fall, but nurseries, like the one where I bought mine, often sell them in the spring.

Planting Preparations

Planting depths vary depending on the root type. Grafted tree peonies should be planted so that the graft is four to six inches below the soil. Tree peonies grown on their own roots should be planted so that the point at which the stems emerge from the root is 2" below the surface of the soil. Tree Peonies in a pot, like the one I bought, should be planted so that the soil in the planting hole is level with the soil in the pot. 

Planting a Potted Tree Peony:

Tree Peonies tolerate a variety of soil conditions but prefer a neutral to slightly alkaline soil with good drainage. You should dig a planting hole that is a least twice the size of the pot in width and depth. Place some dirt back in the bottom of the hole. This will allow your peony's roots to grow out into loose soil. Take your peony out of its pot and place it in the planting hole. It is recommended to amend your planting soil with some compost and a handful of bone meal. Backfill level to the pot's soil. Mulch the plant to help keep down weeds and to allow your peony to retain moisture. Water well.

Watering

Once established Peonies are pretty drought tolerant, but during the first growing season, it is important not to let your peony get too dry. When you notice your new Tree Peony could use some moisture, water it deeply. Try to avoid getting water on the foliage as it will encourage fungus.

Ongoing Maintenance

You can expect your Tree Peony to take 2 or even 3 years to settle in and bloom profusely. Remember these woody shrubs may take as long as 5 to 10 years to reach their full size. If this seems like a long time to wait, take comfort in the fact that peonies can live for 100 years or more. 

Transplanting:

Try to avoid moving a peony as the plant will grow slowly while the roots re-establish themselves. If you must move a Tree Peony, move it in the fall. 

Begin at least 18" from the base of your peony, and work in a circle, loosening the soil with a large garden fork. Lift and secure the root ball with a piece of burlap. Cut off any remaining leaves, being careful not to cut any of the woody stems which will be responsible for next year's flowers. Move the peony to its new location, remove the burlap and replant your peony. Water well. 

Unfortunately, it may several years for the peony to recover.

Fertilizing

Peonies don't need to be coddled, but they do benefit from regular applications of fertilizer and a top dressing of mulch. Mulch not only also serves to retain soil moisture, it helps to protect your peony through the winter.

In doing my research, I found recommendations that beginning in early spring of a peony's second year, it is a good idea to apply a fertilizer high in potash to encourage flowers to develop. A second and third application of a complete or organic fertilizer should be added after your peony finishes blooming and in mid to late fall. I think I will adopt this routine for all my peonies.

Pruning

Prune a Tree Peony in early spring just as the buds are swelling. Begin by removing any dead wood. Prune back to a live bud or just above ground level. Here is a handy link to a video on pruning a Tree Peony:

Pests and Diseases

Good news! Deer and rabbits won't nibble on a Tree Peony. The only problem you might encounter is peony wilt or Botrytis, which appears in early spring just before Tree Peonies flower. If any stems collapse or spots appear on the leaves, remove them to help stop the spread of the infection. Fungal spores can overwinter on old foliage, so a fall cleanup of all old peony foliage is an important practice to adopt.

If I pick the right site and take good care of it, my Tree Peony should well outlive me.  And I should be able to look forward to years and years of beautiful white flowers.

Bookmark this post with a PIN.

And the Winner is....

From my post on great new gardening books, I have a draw for a copy of Epic Tomatoes: How to Select and Grow the Best Varieties of All Time. 

Entries from the blog post and from the Three Dogs in a Garden Facebook page were all thrown into my little floral draw box. Hubby pulled out the winning name.

And the winner is....

Cheryl McMillian who entered the draw using Facebook. Cheryl I need to get your home address so I can get that book off to you in the mail! You can reach me at jenc_art@hotmail.com.

I am still looking to get hold of Bonnie who won the draw for Grow Gardeners. If I am still unable to contact her, I will do a new draw from the remaining entrants.

An Intrepid Plantswoman & Primula Hunter

Primula secundiflora (pink) and Primula sikkimensis (yellow)

Photograph by Pam Eveleigh 

Photograph of Pam Eveleigh 

Most people who have a passion for a special plant might start a small collection in their home gardens, but Pam Eveleigh's interest in the both the genus Primula and other alpine plants has lead her on journeys to exotic destinations like China and Tibet. 

"There are always interesting things to discover when looking at plants in the wild, new variations or even a new species," Pam tells me,"Finding a hybrid swarm of plants in the Sikkimensis Section in Tibet, along with at least one hybrid parent, was exciting. We also found Primula agleniana, a magnificent species with large flowers and interesting spear shaped leaves, by chance, when we managed to get up a side valley near Mt. Namcha Barwa (7,782m)."

When I happened upon Pam's website, Primula World, a reference on the genus primula for which she is known internationally, I was immediately intrigued by the gallery of primula images from such far flung locations. For whatever reason, I had always thought of Primulas primarily as an English cottage garden plant.

Photograph by Pam Eveleigh 

Primula vulgaris is in fact native to the UK, as well as a large part of Europe. It ranges as far north as Norway and as far east as the Caucaus Mountains, but Primula species native to Europe account for only a small percentage of the world's Primulas.

Pam:"There is a handful of European and North American species and a few outliers around Russia and Egypt, but 80% of all Primula species are found in the Sino-Himalayan area. Essentially they are Himalayan alpine plants. In total, there are about 350-400 recognized species depending on what authority you follow."

Making a study of Primulas in the wild, made travel to Europe and Asia necessary for this resident of Calgary, Alberta. 

Pam: "I am interested in the characteristics that distinguish between Primula species and the variations a species exhibits. I enjoy documenting this through images, and since we have very few species near Calgary, I must travel to do this. I am also interested in other alpine plants, so to go to places that are plant species rich is always exciting."

Primula agleniana photographed in Tibet by Pam

In 2007, Pam journeyed with a small group of like-minded primula enthusiasts to Tibet. 

Travelling by jeep, the small party followed the main highway from Shangri-La (previously known as Zhongdian) to Yunnan and on to Lhasa, with a side trip to an area southeast of Lhasa. (Map of the journey here.)

Primula cawdoriana

Photograph by Pam Eveleigh 

Pam: "We were very lucky to spot Primula cawdoriana growing on the cliffs beside the road. This species had long, deep purple-blue fringed flowers, lightly dusted with farina (a white powder). They grow right in the moss which covers the rocks, so they have plenty of moisture, but are well drained. 

Primula littledalei

Photograph by Pam Eveleigh 

"We also saw Primula littledalei which grows in quartz sand beneath overhanging rocks. These Primula only get moisture that wicks into the soil, not from directly overhead. The flowers are a beautiful delicate pink and the leaves are round, coated with farina giving the plants a tidy appearance."

Mountain in Sichuan

Photograph by Pam Eveleigh 

In 2009 and 2014 Pam visited the Yunnan and  Sichuan provinces in China. 

The Yunnan/Sichuan area is considered to be the centre of diversity for the genus Primula (see Pam's map for the 2009 trip and the map for 2014 trip).

Photograph by Pam Eveleigh 

Photo Collage by Pam Eveleigh 

Pam: "We were able to visit Muli, a semi-autonomous region within Sichuan, and see Primula vialii in the wild (shown in the collage above on the bottom left)." 

"Even though this species is common in cultivation, it is rare in the wild. I was also thrilled to see Primula faberi, an unusual wet meadow species with lovely yellow bell flowers (shown in the collage's upper right corner)."

Primula membranifolia from Yunnan

"In 2014, our focus was the Bullate Section species, but we happened to also find the areas where other species were first collected including Primula malvacea, Primula poissonii and Primula pulchella. "

Primula ambita photographed by Pam Eveleigh 

"Using historical expedition information, we were also able to successfully find and photograph Primula ambita for the first time." 

This collage of images from Pam's European travels includes pictures of Primula veris (TR) on the top right, Primula marginata (LL) on the bottom left.

Pam's search for Primulas has also taken her to France, Italy and Austria. In 2011, she began a trip that started in Northern Italy and ended in Imst, Austria. The focus of this trip was a search for Primula recubariensis and Primula albenensis.

Pam: "In 2012, I joined John Richards (author of the book "Primula") and his wife Sheila for a trip to France and Italy. The primary reason was to look for Primula allionii, a species which is endemic to Maritime Alps. It was very late in the season for Primula allionii, as it blooms very early, but we did manage to find it still in flower near Trinita, Italy."

Photograph by Pam Eveleigh 

Like so many world travellers, Pam's garden at home in Calgary has been inspired by her travels abroad. Not surprisingly then, alpines and primula feature largely among her collection of herbaceous plants. I have to confess that I was surprised to learn that Primulas faired well in Pam's garden despite Calgary's weather extremes.

Pam: "Depending on the species, plants can take the cold temperatures of Calgary, even though our snow cover isn't reliable."

Primula allionii 

So what conditions do Primula's prefer, I wanted to know?

Pam:"Often Primulas are meadow plants that bloom in full sun in the spring before the other meadow plants grow tall. The taller plants help to shade Primula plants in the late summer, though the primula seeds are held in capsules on elongated stems that rise above other foliage to ripen in the sun. These meadows are wet in spring (though not stagnant), but tend to dry out in summer."

"Often people assume that they need to grow Primula in shade, but though there are many forest species that do like shade, most like the combination of wet and sun, rather than wet and shade. Shady places tend to be the moist part of our gardens, so that is why primulas do better there than in other parts of the garden."

Primula aureta

Photograph by Terry Mitchell

I asked Pam if she has a favourite Primula. 

"I have lots of favourite species!" she says, "Mostly I am attracted to the unusual ones, which are often difficult to grow, if they are even obtainable.

"My current favourite changes as I study different species. Primula aureta from Nepal has probably been on my list for a long time, as has been Primula kingii from Bhutan/Tibet."

Primula kingii

Picture by Margaret Thorne

Here in Ontario, my local nursery has maybe ten of the most commonly available cultivars of Primula on offer for home gardeners. I asked Pam why, when there were so many species of Primula, were there are so few cultivars available for purchase.

Pam: "Nurseries will carry what sells and depend on local suppliers. Specialist nurseries are more willing to propagate species to be able to keep supplying them, and to take chances on growing species from a small batch of seeds. They are a better bet for finding different Primulas to grow, but if you want to expand your Primula species collection, it is best to grow them yourself from seed."

Pam in a field of Primula fasiculata

Generally one doesn't associate gardening with adventure, but Pam proves that gardening can be as exciting as you chose to make it. And as someone recently reminded me, what you get out of gardening depends on what you bring to it.

Many thanks to Pam for sharing her photographs and the story of her travels.

More information and Links:

About Pam:
Pam Eveleigh is the founding member of the Calgary Rock and Alpine Garden Society (CRAGS). She is internationally known for her website: primulaworld.com. Pam is an avid hiker and photographer with a considerable knowledge of native flora.

Primula World was created by Pam Eveleigh in 2000. At the core of the website is a Species Gallery which contains several thousand images of Primula species, as well as relevant links to herbarium specimens and notes. The homepage blog includes Primula references and bits of information on different primula species. Click here for a link to the Primula World home page

Calendar of Pam's Speaking Dates for Spring 2015

Handy links to Primula World References:
• Primula Growing tips
• Flower parts & features with photographs and a diagram
• How to grow primulas from seed
• Propagation from leaves
• How to hand pollinate a primula

Make your own Custom Postage Stamp!

My son Daniel was born with such fine blond hair that his round little head looked almost as smooth as a bowling ball. His hazel eyes twinkled and his smiled up at me as sweetly as a cherub, as I stood over him one morning to take his picture.

He may have looked like an angel lying there on his baby blanket, but boy did that child have a set of pipes! I am sure the neighbours two doors down could hear him cry when he was hungry or unhappy.

Those early photographs, taking with the most basic of Kodak cameras, were often blurry with truly heinous lighting, but they hold the key to such precious memories the skill of the photographer matters not at all.

These days there are so many new and creative things you can do with your personal photographs.

Modern printers and printing methods have made small print runs feasible. As a result a whole new service industry has emerged that is willing to take your pictures and make something fun and unique with them.

For instance: Did you know that you can take your own photographs and make a custom postage stamp?  As it happens, Canada Post offers just such a service! (American readers will be glad to hear that the USPS has a similar service offering custom stamps.) 

What a fun idea, I thought to myself! I want to try it.

The Canada Post website makes the process very straightforward. If you can upload a picture from your computer, you can do this. Honestly, the hardiest part for me was narrowing it down to a couple of images I wanted to use.

For my first design, I selected the foxglove image above.

First you have to choose an orientation (portrait or landscape) for your stamp and then a decorative frame for the image. Because my photograph was busy, I selected a portrait orientation and a fairly plain frame.

Before I knew it, my booklets of 12 stamps arrived in the mail.

I was worried that I chosen too busy a picture, but my first stamp design turned out to be quite pretty.

I know some of you might think that your photographs aren't nice enough for a stamp, but I doubt that's the case. And at any rate, I don't think it truly matters in the grand scheme of things. As with my son's baby pictures, I think that personal meaning trumps quality hands down.

Not done playing, I had to do a second stamp. 

I figured it was only fitting to make a "Three Dogs in a Garden" stamp. Again I went with a portrait layout, but this time, I used a frame that incorporated a few maple leaves.

And here is the final product. 

Now of course there is a cost involved. 

And unless you are very well-off, it is unlikely you are going to make your own stamps just to mail the payment for your household electric bill (that is, if you even use traditional methods to pay bills these days).

This is a pleasant little indulgence meant for special correspondence. I could see using a custom stamp to send off thank you cards after a wedding, to send birthday party or shower invitations or to give a birth announcement that extra special touch. 

Like an image on a coin, there is a certain honour associated with having a picture on a stamp, so this might be a great way to recognize someone who is having a milestone birthday. It might also be a nice way to dress-up a party invitations celebrating a silver or gold wedding anniversary. Ways to use your custom stamp is limited only by your imagination.

And of course you can always do something fun like putting a picture 

of your dog on a postage stamp.

Have a great weekend!

Disclaimer: This post was entirely my own idea. When I discovered this service was available, I approached Canada Post and asked them if they would be willing to create a couple of sample stamps for the purposes of this post and they kindly agreed. I have received no other compensation from Canada Post. 

More information and Links: 

Create an online order for a personalized stamp with Canada Post.  The approximate price per booklet is $17.04* Canadian, stamps for mail to the US: $20.88*, stamps for mail to International destinations $ 36.48* (min. order is 3 booklets). Please see the Canada Post website for further details. 

Canada Post can also create greeting cards, postcards and invitations.

* plus applicable taxes, shipping and handling

American readers will be glad to hear that the USPS has a similar service offering custom stamps. 

The Garden of Duff and Donna Evers, Part 2: The Upper Terrace and Lakefront

Providing a privacy screen at the front of Duff and Donna Ever's house is a narrow band of trees and shrubs. Underneath the tall evergreens is a path that meanders through a woodland garden. On the outer edge of the woodland garden, there is a low stone wall that runs along the edge of the lawn. 

Donna tells me that: "The area along the walls get full sun. It is filled with spring blooming plants and bulbs- a lot of them ephemerals. Azaleas and low growing rhododendrons share this space. In mid-summer, the daylilies take over followed by asters in fall."

"Initially we planned only to garden along the stone wall, but once again, we got carried away. We made paths which twist and turn around the rocks and through the trees. We limbed-up the old native hemlocks to let in more light and then added Rhododendrons, Magnolias, Pieris, Viburnum and hydrangea. Lady slippers, Trilliums, Anemone and Arisaema are some of the perennials that share this space."

"We have planted some primulas in the damp pockets throughout this garden. A clump of Lilium canadensis is doing well, fingers crossed. Old stumps are left to become planting pockets for ferns."

"With the exception of a yearly mulch of shredded leaves, this garden requires little maintenance."

The soft mauve flower is Creeping Moss Phlox 'Emerald Blue'. The orange buds are an azalea which Donna tells me is a cross made by a friend.

Grey foliage and the black flower buds of a Dianthus contrast beautifully with 

the golden foliage of Barberry 'Golden Nugget'

Dwarf Crested Iris, Iris cristata 'Pale Blue'

Dwarf Crested Iris, Iris cristata: has pale mauve-blue flowers with gold-crested falls. In the right location, this iris will spread quickly to form a dense colony. Iris cristata prefers light shade and moist soil, but it can be grown in dry shade as well. If grown in a sunny spot, the soil needs to consistently moist for this iris to flourish. Height: 15-30 cm (6-12 inches). USDA zones: 3-9.

Gentiana acaulis

Donna:" The blue color is electric. This is an easy to grow spring bloomer. I've been spreading little bits of it all over the gardens. It likes bright light and the moist, well-drained soil all the gardening books talk about;-)" 

Lady Slipper Orchid, Cypripedium 'Gisela'

Donna: "This plant came from Fraser's Thimble Farm. It is the case of "the wants" every time I look at their catalogue. We grow several Cypripediums and I am always happy to see their noses poking out of the ground in early spring."

Throughout Duff and Donna's garden, there are bird feeders and birdhouses. I asked Donna to tell me about their obvious love of birds:

"The birdhouses serve a double purpose. The chickadees nest in them and it is great fun watching them raise their little ones. We string wire from four corners of the birdhouse to the bottom of the post. This provides support for a clematis...."

Clematis macropetala 'Bluebird'

"You can always garden-up should you run out of room at ground level. The chickadees don't seem to mind. We feed the birds year round. We have hummers, nuthatches, a variety of finches, jays, woodpeckers, flickers and mourning doves. Nothing exotic, but the garden is always full of birds."

Clematis macropetala 'Bluebird': has nodding, bell-shaped, purply-blue semi-double flowers. This is a Group 1 Clematis that blooms in spring on the growth of the previous season. 'Bluebird' requires 4 to 6 hours of sun each day. Height: 8-10 ft.  USDA Zones: 4-8.

"Duff made the benches, the arbours, the obelisks, the birdhouse, the chairs, the fences, the deck, all the stone wall, the troughs and the patio. I have been asked if he can be cloned:-)"

Primula

"There are two yellow magnolias near the shed. The one closest to the shed is M. Yellow Lantern and the other one is M. Hattie Carthan."

"In spring this garden is full of Crocus, Chionodoxa, Hellebores, Rhododendrons and Azaleas. Along the front of the border is Geranium'Kashmeri White'. Then it is poppies and alliums. Summer blooms are lilies and dark-leafed Chocolate Eupatorium. Yes, we do have lily beetles, but I hand pick them off. I can't imagine the garden without lilies. Later it is Echinacea, Phlox and Purple Dome Aster."

"Duff made the chairs 20 years ago. They were unfinished cedar and for years they were a weathered shade of grey. The yellow paint has given them a few more years... The coffee cups tell it all. It is a great place to sit and watch the birds in the birdbath."

Cleo the cat surveys her kingdom

Donna says that she and Duff did not intend to garden along the lakeshore. They removed some of the more scruffy spruce and maples to open up a view to the lake and then called it a day.  

This woodland area became the spot that they dumped surplus plant material that resulted from plant division as well as plants that had for one reason or another fallen out of favour. When Donna and Duff finally ran out of room in the rest of the garden, they turned their attention to their "dumping ground".

Donna: "To date, we have not amended the soil. We have just planted among the roots and the rocks. We have a central path leading to the lake and this year Duff put in steps and two boardwalks so it is easier to walk around and enjoy this wild garden."

Donna: "Just when you think spring will never arrive Caltha palustris (Marsh Marigolds) fill the bogs. The bees are even happier than I am to see the yellow flowers. The blossoms hum with bees."

"Primulas have also done well. We started with three Primula Japonica, gifts from a gardening friend, and now there are three hundred or more- all self-seeded. They fill my heart with joy."

Lysichiton (Skunk cabbage) both white and the yellow form also like the moist conditions found here. Siberian iris, Sweet Woodruff, Filipendula and Darmera peltata all grow well in this area."

Marsh Marigold (left) and Candelabra Primula, Primula japonica (right)

Marsh Marigold, Caltha palustris: is a North American native wildflower that can be found on the banks of streams and in other boggy locations. It grows best in moist, fertile soil. Marsh Marigold has rounded leaves and yellow buttercup-like flowers in spring. It sometimes goes dormant in the heat of summer. Full sun or part shade. Height:15-30 cm (6-12 inches),  Spread: 25-30 cm (10-12 inches). USDA zones: 2-9

In the foreground left is a rhododendron, in a curve sweeping to the right is a line of Solomon's Seal, Polygonatum. Behind the Solomon's Seal is pink Candelabra Primula, Primula japonica.

Here's a link to Part 3.

Missed part 1? Here's a link.