my very first peony...

Well I couldn't help but be a little bit excited today! After purchasing several peony plants and waiting about 3 years... today.. I had my very first peony bloom!

I had never really heard of this plant 'till I started seeing and reading about them in blogland... and I knew that I just had to get my hands on one.

I ended up getting the plants online and the first year I planted them there wasn't much of a show of leaves which was very disappointing. So I ended up digging them up again and amending the soil adding more fertilizer. Then last year again only a few leaves and I was beginning to think that this may not be the right area for these plants. This year however the plants seem to be stronger and slightly larger and I was so happy to see that I had a bud on one of them. I must have watched that bud everyday 'till it opened I think!

This one is called Monsieur Jules Elie and she's a beauty, what a gorgeous flower. I'm so glad I gave them a go .. now I only hope next year the other's decide to bloom as well!

take care, Maryann