From Klehm's Song Sparrow in May 2018
Photos
Expectations:
I loved this peony in my old garden, so I got another 'Bartzella' for here.
The creamy yellow flowers are beautiful. Itoh peonies are a cross between a tree peony and an herbaceous peony. Peonies are long lived.
Experiences:
Originally planted in front of the vine covered fence by the patio table, it showed well against the green creeper vine when briefly in bloom, but otherwise its pretty foliage didn't stand out against the green and its fall color didn't either.It didn't bloom in 2018 or 2019, but in 2020 some fat buds formed in May and on the 21st, just before we were to leave for a weekend away, the bud opened. I fertilize and water this a lot.
After I finally got the peony to look good and bloom the summer of 2020 (and fall color was russety turning to copper and nice that year), I moved it to the potting bench curve at the leftmost corner.
In the empty corner of the potting bench curve by the round white rock, and against the stucco wall, it stands out better, and is a nice filler. That end of the garden has always been so unresolved, and I've tried so many things there that weren't right.
When I dug up the peony in late 2020, it just sort of ripped out. It was deeply entangled with the creeper vine roots and had to be wrestled out. I thought I killed it, but in 2021 it came back nicely, without the slight scorch that it had in earlier years. The leaves remained a good green -- I do fertilize it, but it also seemed happier in the new spot.
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| Fall 2022 and in summer 2023 |
It's healthy and growing, but only blooms with one or two flowers for about 5 days in late May. But the foliage and form look great all summer, and some years there is red fall color.