First a little backstory...several years ago, a neighbor was given a big bag full of peony starts. She planted all she needed and then offered some to me (thanks, Carol!) Three of them were big enough to plant, which I immediately did. The first one bloomed the very next year, another bloomed the year after and both of them have bloomed beautifully every year since. The third start, however, had a different plan in mind. The first year, it only put up one small stem, the second year, two stems, etc. You get the idea. Well, it's been about 12 years, and I guess that it finally feels like it's in the big leagues because...
...it's bloomed! It's a lovely peony, a little different than any of my other ones. Makes that loooooong, wet spring worth it.
BTW, its companion plant is Allium christophii, a blooming onion that is taking the admonition to multiply and replenish the earth very seriously.
