The annual migration of North America’s monarch butterfly is a unique and amazing phenomenon.
Read MoreThere are countless reasons to love peonies. They are an old fashioned favorite whose blooms can grow 10 inches across and have incredible staying power. They can even live to be 100 years old! Did you know that peonies are regarded as a symbol of good fortune across the world which is way they’re so often used in wedding bouquets. There is so much to love about peonies and we will never get over their large, stunning, ruffled blooms. 
We have some tips for you so that you can grow your most beautiful peony plants yet!
- Know your zone. This tip can be applied to any plants but you should know that peonies thrive in zones 3-7
- Plant them at the right time: If you start in the fall you will have a leg above the competition. They will grow better in the first year if they have the benefit of being in the soil during the winter.
- Keep them comfortable. For the first winter we suggest that you heavily mulch when the ground begins to freeze so that the soil is not penetrated by frost.
- Try to plant them in full sun. They can tolerate shade but may become leggy and require staking.
- When you plant them start with a hole that is about 30% larger than the actual plant. Fill the hold until the growth buds are about 1 inch above soil level. Cover the plant with loose soil about 2 inches above that and water thoroughly.
- Give your peonies some space! Allow for at least four feet between each plant. A mature plant can be compared to a shrub, so they need plenty of room to grow. Planting them too close together can lead to leggy plants and even disease.
- Have some patience. It can take two to three years for before you start to see good blooming but after that, with proper care, your peonies could flower for decades!
- Shop smart! We have the best cultivars all hand chosen for their excellence by our horticultural experts. Head to our website to shop our incredible selection and to start growing your own perfect peonies today.
Why do we find five pointed flowers so delightful? Is it because when playing “He loves me-he loves me not” we’ll always get the best answer at the end? Or maybe because their simplicity reminds us of attempting (with varying success) at drawing flowers as children? Well, whatever the reason, they have a certain charisma that just can’t be ignored. That’s why we just had to bring you our list of favorite five petaled flora.
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Beware – there are mischief makers in our midst! While April Fool’s Day is our one chance of the year to stir up some (lighthearted) trouble, the creatures of this list never take a day off from their scandalous behavior. Their disguises are convincing, but try not to be fooled by these common garden tricksters.
I’d be happy to even get back what I paid for my house. With so many foreclosures still on the market, demand for houses is still flagging. But Greg Brand had 5 offers in 48 hours after people toured his 2.6 acre property in Nebraska. His asking price? $415,000.
The key to this property’s appeal is its incredible back yard, which is broken up into different garden “rooms”. His 9 gardens embrace many themes, including a woodland garden, an English garden, a Japanese garden featuring a magnificent $150,000 cedar tea-house, a rock/succulent garden, and even a “sand volleyball” garden. The property is packed with plants, including 205 trees, 980 perennials, 550 annuals, and 8,000 bulbs! Of all of these, Brand says the most unique ones come from Wayside Gardens.
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