Stop And Smell The Peonies

We've all heard the saying "Stop And Smell the Roses" but nobody ever tells us to stop and smell the peonies. I wonder why? Maybe it's because they are so fragrant all on their own that they make you instantly stop? I'm not sure, but today as I was in my garden I stopped along the way to smell my peonies. 


The peony was named after Paeon, a student of Asclepius, the Greek god of medicine and healing. When Asclepius became jealous of his pupil; Zeus saved Paeon from the wrath of Asclepius by turning him into the peony flower. 

When we moved in to our home we were gifted with several flowers, the peony was one of them. Although I'm not a gardener by any stretch of the imagination I have tried by trial and error to see where the flourish the best. I moved them from the back of the house to the side of the house and now they have found their home in the front. They must like where they are because this year they are really blooming. I have five peony bushes carrying a variety of white, pink and hot pink flowers. They have exquisite large blossoms, and their fragrance is heavenly.


My mom always told me that you should give the first fruits if your labor and gift them to someone. Today I will visit my mom and give her the first fruits of my peony bush labor. Here are what they look like.

Are the fruits of your labor not blooming? They may be the result of any of these factors:

Planting too deeply
Immature plants
Excess nitrogen
Inadequate sunlight
Overcrowding
Phosphorus and/or potassium deficiency
Insect or disease problems
Competition from roots of nearby plants
Late freezes

Contain Yourself

The birds are chirping, can you hear them? I recently stopped to notice that there was more activity with our feathered friends than in days passed. You know what that means. Spring!

It's hard not to dream about colorful spring flowers after a long cold winter. Its no wonder that The Boston Flower Show is strategically placed in March. Just when you thought you couldn't take another glance at the white stuff...BAM..."A Burst of Color! That is exactly why this year's theme of the Boston Flower Show is "A Burst of Color": Celebrating the Container Garden" . Sounds like exactly what the doctor ordered. 

Starts Today, Wednesday, March 16th, to Sunday March 20th at the Seaport World Trade Center Boston, is when its happening, so make a point to stop along your way, you won't be disappointed. 

Click here to learn more about this event.

If you can't make it into the city don't despair because you can find plenty of inspiration at this local greenhouse. Hamilton Gardens is a lovely shop that offers an extensive variety of fresh cut flowers, gift items, garden furniture, and plants for any container garden that you're dreaming of creating this spring. It's one of my favorite Stops Along The Way anytime of year....and yes Mr. Ommm frog would look adorable in your garden. Enjoy!

Click here for more information about Hamilton Gardens