Paeonia, Latin for Garden Peonies are among the most fragrant, beautiful and quintessential Vermont perennials. They are extremely long lived plants, which will thrive with little maintenance if planted correctly. They require full sun & well drained soils. Peonies grow best in cooler climates as they will only bloom well after the Winter chill. When planting potted plants in your garden, be sure to plant them at the same soil level that they were at in the container. Once established they do not like to be transplanted, so be sure to choose wisely when planting them in your garden. At maturity they can be almost 3 feet in diameter!
For some great information on Planting, Caring for or Dividing Peonies check out these articles:
Peonies also make great cut flowers. They make the whole house smell wonderful and provide a beautiful centerpiece for any arrangement. The key to getting the longest blooms inside is to cut the flowers in the morning while they are still in the bud stage. This way they will open in the house and won’t fall apart quite as quickly. If you have an event coming up or you just want make your cut peonies last longer into the season, try this …
- Cut the peony bloom while still in bud form
- Wrap the bloom in a damp paper towel and plastic wrap
- Put them in the fridge.
They will most likely take a few days to open and the longer you have stored them the shorter their blooms will last. You can apparently preserve peonies for up to 4 weeks! To learn more about this process take a look at these articles:
