The Arch City Gardener

Journeys In St. Louis Gardening and Beyond

Tag Archives: peony


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A Peony’s palette

For the first time since I planted them 3 years ago, the peonies are rich with buds. I planted Shirley Temple and Eden’s Perfume varieties.

The photo above of Shiley Temple was taken early in the week after a rain. By the end of the week she was in full bloom.

A close up shows just how lovely these blooms are. The plant tag describes this plant as highly fragrant but I would disagree. I don’t pick up much of a scent.

I’m keeping an eye on Eden’s Perfume, which is heavy with buds. It has never bloomed before. Fingers crossed that this is the year.

The blooms emerge a soft pink, evolve into a blush color and eventually turn white. Truly a plant worth watching.

Last night and today heavy rains rolled through bringing with them more than 2 inches of rain, and flattening dear Shirley. Not to worry though, as I have my first vase of flowers from the garden this season.

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Timely rain

Farmers often talk about getting a timely rain, that much needed moisture that comes at just the right time for their thirsty crops.

My little patch of ground has recently received some timely rain. The sweet woodruff ringing the catalpa tree in the front yard dries out pretty quickly. It’s clearly grateful.

With temperatures warming–but still quite variable–plants just come alive. The ostrich fern have grown 4 or 5 inches. So graceful and pretty. And the rain barrels are replenished and filled to the brim.

And the peonies are filled with buds. I can’t wait for them to bloom. This is the third year I’ve had them in the garden and they have never looked so good.

And the azaleas just burst forth in all their awesome fuchsia glory. Mother Nature is amazing at this time of year.


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Green is coming through the gray

If this were a Facebook status update I might write, “I’m feeling…sunny and dry.” St. Louis has received 13.2 inches of rain this month and a walk in my backyard now has a sound track: Squish, squish, squish. The lower end of the yard has a bit of ponding. Leaves still cover most of the beds. And accompanying all this rain has been cooler than normal temperatures. On a sunny day, we won’t discuss the gray, drab skies that are predicted to be back tomorrow.

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Even though I cannot get in the garden today, I am celebrating for a couple of reasons. First, and the most obvious, is that it is sunny and dry. Yes! This condition is not expected to last, as our forecast calls for rain for the next 10 days. Second (really first) is that I am off work today! Woo hoo! Third (but truly first) is I will spend the afternoon with my eldest daughter.

Before the day gets away from me, here’s an Arch City Gardener pictoral status update of my plants and beds at the end of March. Oh! And thanks for reading.

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In the front yard spirea begins to leaf out.

DSCN5872Penstemon’s lettucy looking red leaves. I love this plant, which has been happy in this spot for five years.DSCN5873Karl Foerster grass is coming upspring clean up18Just a couple of gumballs to deal with. This is Round 3 of the rake up.

DSCN5887Cranesbill Biokova Karmina (geranium x cantabrigiense). What a wonderful groundcover. And talk about easy care!DSCN5870The oakleaf hydrangea “Alice” looks deceptively docile. My pet name for her is “Godzilla.” The blooms are incredible.DSCN5886Planted about six years ago, this low-growing juniper (Juniper horizontalis) is a slow creeper and provides lovely texture with a green-yellow tint. Behind her are stella d’oro day lilies.DSCN5864The fiddleheads of Ostrich Fern (Matteuccia struthiopteris) begin their graceful unfurling. Ferns are my favorite plants to observe.

DSCN5863Peonies–Eden’s Perfume, Shirley Temple, and Sarah Bernhardt–peek through the leaves. The peonies were a new additions last year to the bed below the paperbark maple.

DSCN5861Creeping jenny groundcover is vigorous and advancing. It had better dry up so I can get out there and rake.


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Budding Spring

Like a baby, the garden is in a constant state of growth and change now and each day’s walk-about reveals something new. On a windy, feels-like-a-lion Sunday in late March the rhododendron, compact buds just a few days ago, are beginning to bloom. And I scouted a lone peony emerging. I imagine there were peonies in the yard at one time and this is what remains. I moved it last year to what I think might be a more suitable location and thereby improve its odds of developing beyond the lowly spike you see here.

budding rhododendron budding rhodo II peony