Yesterday I spent a good portion of the day in my yard gardening, which I say with slight hesitation because I’m the farthest thing from a skilled gardener. I’ve over-watered, under-watered, killed, and wasted more money on plants and flowers than I care to admit over the years, but each season of failure and a few small victories teach me something that I’m able use the next year when it’s time to try again.
I’m the type of person who doesn’t like to do things I can’t immediately succeed at, so gardening is therapy for me, teaching me tiny lessons along the way along with a heavy dose of humility and resilience. There is nothing more satisfying than a day spent working in the dirt and connecting to nature, but the buckets of beautiful blooming peonies I was able to bring inside last night might be the best gift of all.
I’m calling this peony harvest a success for the year!
So many of you told me how much you loved the photos from my lilac post, and I so appreciate your feedback! I thought I would also document these peonies and take some pretty pictures of them in an old galvanized bucket since they are one of my favorite flowers and have such a short, but stunning season to bloom.
I was lucky to have one white peony bush already thriving in my yard when I moved into this house, and every year seeing them bloom is something I look forward to. We’ve had such heavy rain and wind storms lately, that I wanted to make sure I brought them inside to enjoy them as long as I could. It’s been quite an interesting spring here in Indiana, and I’m sure for many of you as well.
My absolutely favorite part of this bucket of peonies is the different stages of the flower… some fully open and bursting with fluffy layers of petals and some still tightly packed buds just beginning to open and show their soft pink petals. I can’t get enough of this simple, yet breathtaking view.
I’d love to know, what is your favorite flower? What do you have success growing in your yard or garden? xoxo Liz
I too love peonies but I question I have is how do you deal with the ants that tend to hide in the flowers? I usually end up with a table full of them whenever I bring a bunch in. Do you have a trick on how to leave them outside and bring just the flowers in?
I dip the cut stems in a bucket of water before bringing them inside, and that helps get most of the ants off!
Your peonies are lovely, mine didn’t fare too well this year due to the rain & wind.
we had so awful lot of rain it just ruined the peonies. My favorite flower is the lilacs
and mine bloomed beautifully this year.
Yes, I am enjoying 4 bushes of blooms from white, pink, deep pink. Wonderful! I’m on my 4th vase full in a week. They are doing well even with late northwest rain in Eugene Oregon. Don’t you love the look of beautiful flowers in an old bucket? Put Moore in Liz they are trouble free. Love your blog! Ruth
Peonies are my favorite flower, and as an avid gardener here in Florida I will forever be disappointed that they will not grow here,so enjoy your peonies, I will admire from afar
Peonies are by far my favorite flower. The beauty and smell are sweet. I just planted them again in my yard. I had overzealous mowers who ran them over in the past and destroyed them. But I have been able to enjoy them in a fantastic garden I walk by everyday on my breaks from work. Truly one of life’s moments can be found in nature.
Your post and lovely photographs has filled my heart with longing….peonies are a distant dream for me. I live in a subtropical paradise in Australia.
Your getting your hands in the dirt resonates and also reminds me how important it is to slow down. Tending our property is a year round pleasure here.
Your post reminded me …how lucky I am.
Liz beautiful Peonies.. love the soft pink/white.
There is a peony from Countryside Gardens named Missie’s Blush that is Beautiful!
It is suppose to be very fragrant, opens blush and then maybe fade to white.
It would be lovely to preserve your peonies. I believe I used silica -for flowers- to preserve
a special flower I had, that was a long time ago, maybe there is a better technique/product now.
I’m blessed to live in the Driftless area of Wisconsin. Every time we have moved I also moved my peonies, some were from my Grandmother, my Mother and my husbands Grandmother, therefore most are over 100 years young. I love to bring them in the house, I feel a sense of family history. Thank you for being as sweet as you are. Someday I’m coming to Indiana to see your store. Take care little one and know how loved you are.