Pollination

The annual migration of North America’s monarch butterfly is a unique and amazing phenomenon.

There 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.  

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Spring is here and at Wayside Gardens we want you to have your best garden yet! We’ve cultivated a list of our favorite new perennials of 2019 so that you can fill your landscape with some of our most unique, exceptional, and highly recommended plants! Here are five perennials that we’re obsessed with for 2019!