"What a desolate place would be a world without a flower! It would be a face without a smile, a feast without a welcome. Are not flowers the stars of the earth, and are not our stars the flowers of heaven?"

- Clara Lucas Balfour

About Peony

Peony is one of the most beautiful flowers. Its beauty and elegant look helps us making our garden attractive and nice. Peonies often are chosen for decorating gardens in Romania. Many persons living in Romania love peonies for their elegant appearance.Peonies were treasured for their beauty, elegant nature from ancient times. The first references to peonies can be found in mythology. Paeon, the physician of gods received this flower on Mount Olympus from the mother of Apollo. According to a different myth Paeon was granted immortality and was turned into the flower we know today as peony. (http://www.munchkinnursery.com/newsletter/peonies/)
Either way, peonies are charming and lovely flowers, brightening our existence.    As these myths show, peonies have quite an interesting history. In what follows I propose to get more acquainted with this lovely flower.Peonies were fist cultivated in China. It is thus no wonder that it acquired various symbolic meanings. Peonies are thus native flowers of Asia, southern Europe and western North America. They are perennial plants and can reach the height of 0.5-1.5 metres tall. Peonies have compound, lobed leaves, large and sweet fragrant flowers. Color varies from red to white and yellow.Its species are the following:
Paeonia abchasica
 Paeonia anomala
 Paeonia bakeri
 Paeonia broteri
 Paeonia californica (California Peony)
 Paeonia cambessedesii
 Paeonia daurica
 Paeonia emodi
 Paeonia hirsuta
 Paeonia intermedia
 Paeonia kesrouanensis (Syrian Peony)
 Paeonia lactiflora (Chinese Peony, "garden peony")
 Paeonia macrophylla
 Paeonia mairei
 Paeonia officinalis (European Peony)
 Paeonia parnassica (Greek Peony)
 Paeonia peregrina
 Paeonia rhodia
 Paeonia sterniana
 Paeonia steveniana
 Paeonia tenuifolia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peony)
It is also a commonly held view that a garden without peonies lacks some beauty. Thus here are some tips that will help you growing peonies and implicitly making your garden nicer. The best site for planting peonies is the one with much sun and a well-drained soil. If necessary add some fertilizer as well to the soil. A well-rotted manure or compost is perfect for this purpose. It is also important to know that clay soils tend to be more fertile than sandy soils. Peonies grow really fast, thus they need stakes or supports. Place these in early spring when the leaves emerge from the ground. In this early state such actions have to be taken. A good idea is to set four bamboo stakes into the ground around and outside the plant and weave garden twine through the stems and leaves from one side of the plant to the other. Aim for a crisscross pattern that works like a net to keep stems and blooms upright. Peonies usually perform well. However if you notice that your plants have stopped flowering well, it is necessary to divide them. The best time to perform this job is early fall. You will have to carefully dig out the clump and then with a clean, sharp shade divide it into sections. Please make sure that each division has to have good roots. Replant them as quickly as possible. (http://www.flower-gardening-made-easy.com/peony-care.html)
Following these tips you will be successful with peonies and they will represent a special place in your garden. May you be very successful with planting peonies. May peonies bring the warmth, love and joy to your life and garden in Romania and everywhere else.