Friday 25 May 2012

Waiting all year for my peonies....and then it rains

One of my favourite flowers are my  tree peonies (from my Mum's old garden) - I wait all year for them to s-l-o-w-l-y come into bloom, I count the buds and carefully prop up the branches (in previous years they have broken under the weight of the flowers!).


Sometimes we have a shower of rain but we can cope with that...


Then one day they burst open...

Each one is as big as a plate and I wish I could eat my dinner off them!













Then the proper rain came and it did not stop - I covered them with fleece but the wind just squashed them -  I hate doing this but I thought that I might as well pick them rather them being ruined by the weather!


A bit battle worn and by the next morning the petals had dropped - but in a lovely way I thought!





The petals are nicely scented



I keep this old photo of Bronte and Maille on the mantlepiece - I think that this was my 'Changing Rooms' paint phase, this is the hall from our old house (prior to the green is was bright yellow!).  Just to note that they are both wearing vintage (though back then they were known as second hand..) Marks and Spencers little mackintoshes (dating from the 1960s) Maille's was particularly lovely I remember.  I must still have them as I cannot believe I would have thrown them away....I may have to spend a few days looking for them...

Also posting a photo of our terracotta figure (bought from a junk shop in The Northern Territory one or two years ago...cough, cough).  We were backpacking at the time and we protected it in our rucksack by wrapping it in socks and shoving it into Dom's trainers..she made it home unharmed.

I hope that your flowers are unblemished! Since writing this the sun has been shining away and another peony of my mum's that has never flowered open up in all it glory - I will add a photo of that later

10 comments:

  1. Peonies are by far my favorite of all the beautiful spring flowers! I have several bushes of them and normally get loads of blooms, but not this year. :( Our buds formed early in record-breaking warm spring days, and then we had several inches of SNOW in April. I only had about 4 small buds that bloomed, and they also got rained away. Oh, well...there's always next year!

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    1. Do you know Amy that is exactly how I feel - there is always next year and though it is a bit of a wait it is worth it. I hope you have more blooms next season

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  2. I love tree peonies!
    Mine was grown from a seed from my mum's so has great sentimental value - it's dark red but if I'm honest I prefer your pink one!!

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    1. Ooo- dark red also sounds delicious. I don't normally let mine go to seed but please let me know if you would like some seeds next year and I will keep them. I have a yellow tree peony as well, flowers are no where near as large but the leaves are prettier - when I did my gardening course I gave everyone little seedlings that I had grown from seeds from that one. Gardening is made for sharing I think

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  3. HI Jenny, your peonies are marvellous!! the colour is gorgeous, I love shades of pink,your bicycle is perfectly lovely, please don't paint the basket!!Your pictures are all FAB!! Thank goodness for the sun, it makes eveyone H A P P Y!!!

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    1. Yes indeed Pam - the sun certainly helps to raise all spirits. Thank you for kind words as always

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  4. My Oh My aren't they just beautiful... I just love the first image Jenny!

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    1. Many thanks - those buds are full of hope and anticipation aren't they. They seem to take forever to open up - building up strength I like to think!

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  5. Hello dear Jenny, Those peonies are gorgeous my friend! I think they are even more beautiful having came from your dear Mum's old garden! I love pink and I need to plant some of these in my garden. I am sorry the rain got to them, but I think it was a good thing you brought them indoors to enjoy. They make a stunning display on your mantel. I loved seeing the reflection of your ceiling in your pretty mirror, it is stunning! Oh, what a sweet photo of your girls! I love that they were wearing vintage! I got tickled when you said, then it was called "second-hand" and how you wish you could eat off your peonies! It is amazing how large they are! The terra cotta lady is beautiful and I enjoyed hearing the story behind it. I hope you and your peonies enjoy the sunshine! Love, Paula

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    1. Thank you again Paula - do you know that I find looking at my ceiling more interesting than the telly most of the time! The detail on the ceiling rose is quite a wonderment. Still not uncovered the old mackintoshes but I will eventually.
      Thank you as always Paula

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