Peonies have been one of my absolute favorite flowers for as long as I can remember as an adult. ❤️
I love that they bloom right around Memorial Day and my oldest daughter’s birthday each year. To me, they’ve always signaled the beginning of summer! Those gorgeous layer upon layer of petals, the soft, creamy colors, and that incredible fragrance…what’s not to love?!
And I especially love that they’re perennials, coming back year after year, growing bigger and more beautiful as they mature.
So naturally, when I became a flower farmer, I knew I had to grow more than the seven peony plants I’ve enjoyed at our house for the last several years!
After LOTS of research into the best varieties for cut-flower production, I placed an order for 150 peony roots through Ednie Flower Bulb out of New Jersey. I ended up with Angel Cheeks, Jacorma, Coral Charm, Duchess De Nemours, and Sarah Bernhardt. They arrived five weeks later than expected (which had me more than a little nervous!), but thankfully, they were spectacular roots with lots of beautiful, healthy-looking eyes!
And now…all 150 (plus the 7 from home) peonies are officially planted at the farm! 🙌🌸
But goodness, what a process it has been!
A huge shoutout to Adam (again!) for all his help preparing this new growing area. A couple of months ago, he subsoiled the area. Then I hauled many tractor buckets full of compost and tilled the area. We let it sit and settle for a bit and then Adam ended up creating eight 70-foot raised beds, situated on both the north and south sides of our swale.
Our bedder/hiller attachment does a great job forming the initial beds, but the finishing work? Well, that's another story! I spent at least eight hours raking loose soil from the aisles up onto the beds to build them even higher. Since peonies really don't appreciate sitting in wet soil all winter, especially in our heavy Ohio clay, we wanted to give them the best drainage possible.
Then came the actual planting. Six hours spread over two days, and every single root was finally tucked into its new home (and on what looked to be the last couple warm days of the season!)
My back and legs are definitely reminding me of all that work. 😂
I even had two extra helpers who spread more straw in the aisles for me!
There has already been an incredible amount of labor invested in these beauties.
But here's what makes peonies so special. Unlike annual flowers that we plant, grow, and remove in a single season, these are a long-term investment. With a little patience and proper care, they'll grow stronger and more productive over the next several years, hopefully rewarding us with armloads of gorgeous blooms for many years to come.
So now we wait--as they gradually produce more and more over the next three growing seasons while they establish and mature. And hopefully, the hardest work is behind us!
157 peonies. Eight raised beds. Lots of sore muscles. And one very tired but expectant flower farmer. 🌸❤️
Here's to planting something today that we hope will bring beauty and joy for decades to come.