peony's are under rated

I may have mentioned before that I love flowers; really love them, that's why I was so crushed when the goats ate my irises this year. It was completely my fault, but was crushed just the same. I also happen to think peony's are under rated and under appreciated. First of all, the foliage is stunning and the proud little blossoms that are no bigger than an avocado seed stand so tall then explode into a grapefruit sized blossom with a fragrance that'll leave you breathless. Seriously, why have these been overlooked, the actual blossom is very long lasting when cut and placed in a vase on the table. And did I mention the smell; it's as intoxicating to a florist as second crop hay is to a farmer! Oh mercy! I wonder why more people don't have them in their gardens.

I don't know what it is about this particular color flower that is so stunning to me, there's something to be said for the gobsmacking color that most flowers achieve, but the simplicity of a champagne colored flower mystifies me.

How's that for a burst of color?!

Whenever I see peony's it reminds me of my grandmother, she had such a wonderfully scented flower garden; hyacinth, daffodils, peony and lilac adorned her garden and she would always let us pick a flower to take home with us. She'd carefully wrap the stem with a wet paper towel and put it in a sandwich bag for the long ride home. I don't ever remember getting them home to a vase, but I remember the scent of the garden. My garden will always have a large bunch of yellow daffodils and peony's and a warm memory of my grandmother.