Peonies

The peony season has started. Actually one of the extra earlies bloomed last week, but now there are beginning to be bits of bloom all over the yard. This fern leaf peony is always one of the first to bloom. There is also a double form with blossoms so tightly packed with petals that they take several weeks to open. That is one of my favorites (yeah, right, I know, whatever is blooming today has a good chance of being called my favorite). With all of the rain we've been having I have high hopes for a perfectly glorious peony season since they, along with everything else in the gardens are just growing wonderfully this year. I do love peony season because, like daffodil season, there are plenty of blooms to bring into the house. Hostas and daylilies are lovely, but neither give me those long-lasting bouquets for the table that I get from daffodils and peonies, and the scent of peonies is lovely, though subtle. Tree peonies will be a bit later getting started, and I'll be posting photos of both kinds off and on over the next month.
Jane