The Bashful Peony

Trailcam wood pigeon, so softly grey and pink

The Greek nymph Paeonia was supposed to be so bashful that Aphrodite turned her into a peony. I must say I have noticed no bashfulness at all in my tree peonies. I have two. They are each about 3ft tall one  is covered in enormous frilly pink flowers and the other with huge deep crimson ones. 

Crimson peony with mini pond beneath and watchful heron

                               

Pink peony in its garden setting

The April wind blows them about mercilessly and the rain batters down on them but they don't seem to care and just produce yet more flowers from their large buds. 

peony buds

The flowers are not very long lasting but the leaves last all summer, are very attractive and make good companions for many other plants. 

Mine have Chinese names to suit their characters: the pink one is Ling Hua Zhan Lu, which I am told translates as Limpid Dews on Two-Horned Flower and the red one is Wu Long Peng Sheng or Black Dragon with Splendid Flower.

Ling Hua Zhan Lu

Wu Long Peng Sheng

I've had them for many years now and for such splendid plants they need remarkably little attention. I mulch them well in spring, cut the branches back if they encroach over other things but that's it. When they flower just about now, I am filled with astonishment and pleasure.