Members of the Driftwood Garden Club enjoyed a very informative program about growing and caring for peonies, one of the most lush and beautiful of all the flowers in our gardens. Stacey Lee, our presenter, is a floral designer and sustainability advocate. They own and operate Paeonia Designs in Framingham, and their knowledge and enthusiasm was contagious. Stacey’s career began as a civil engineer, working on projects relating to clean water sustainability. But they always had a passion for flowers, so they created Paeonia Designs as a side hustle. At the same time that Stacey was asked to create the floral designs for her close friend’s wedding, their engineering career was waning, and Paeonia Designs became a new, full-time endeavor.
Stacey’s talk began with a few fun facts, such as:
-Did you know that Homer, Alaska has the largest peony market in America? (Our climates are very similar.)
-Did you know that it is an old wives’ tale that ants crawl on peony blossoms to help them open? (The ants just want the peony sugar.)
-Did you know that peonies can live for over 100 years? (Just ask Stacey who has some peony plants from her grandmother’s garden!)
Stacey was a wealth of serious information as well, beginning with the three types of peonies:
- the tree peony which has woody stems, grows quite tall, needs more shade, and is not cut back in fall,
- the herbaceous peony, the most common, which needs lots of sun and, when cut back in the fall, will regrow from the roots the following spring, and
- the intersectional peony, a hybrid of tree and herbaceous peonies, and has elements of both plant types.
No matter what type of peony you choose to grow, it is that spectacular blossom that we all admire. There are many varieties of peonies, and many variations in color, but they are all beautiful. Stacey’s professional tip for cutting the blooms is to cut BEFORE the flower is in full bloom. They called it a marshmallow pouf. If you cut the flower at this stage, wrap it in newspaper, and refrigerate it, the bloom will last for several days. When you put it in your floral arrangement, the “marshmallow pouf” will open and will last longer.
To avoid powdery mildew, plant your peonies in full sun with room around them for good air circulation, and water them at the base, not on the leaves. If you are planting a new peony plant or rerooting from an existing peony, patience is the key. Peonies usually take three years before they are established and are blooming successfully. Just remember these three words: roots, shoots, and fruits. If you follow these suggestions, your peony will live a long and happy life.
As always, a very sincere thank you to our hosts for the evening. They prepared and helped serve a beautifully laid table full of delicious sweet and savory offerings. It always makes our social time together extra special thanks to our hosts for the evening.
Driftwood Garden Club 