They may be Slow to Emerge, But Aren't they Beautiful on their Way Up?

This is my first Tropicana Gold emerging from its long winter sleep. Perhaps 'Rip Van Winkle' would be a more appropriate name for this one.

I was beginning to wonder if anything would come up! I think it's been five - six weeks since I planted them.

I have discovered that the cannas I overwinter in their pot of soil, come up weeks ahead of those I dry and store in paper bags.

Next year I will leave them all in soil for the winter.

Boy, peony blooms sure don't last long in a vase, do they? Mine were all shriveled up with petals falling all over the table the next morning.

My peonies also do not have much a smell. Everyone is talking about how good they smell, so after a very careful bug check, (how would you like to take a big sniff and get this guy up your nostril?)
I shoved my nose right inside....couldn't smell much at all. I guess maybe the real old varieties don't have the same fragrance.

I removed the spent blooms and took a walk around to see what else I could cut and add. I found a lot of Sweet William blooming in the woods just beyond my smaller arbor. It's where I toss plant debris. It's become my cutting garden back there. Everything I throw out seems to grow.

I just walk through here along the pine needle path

and snip as I go.

I picked some of this Valerian, too, because it does have a nice scent.



There!

Another different look. I am going to use the vase all year to showcase garden flowers that I can usually only see when I take a garden walk. I like the idea of bringing the flowers up to the deck where I can just sit and enjoy them.

I moved the bouquet to the little bistro set in the woodland area. It's another of DH's powerwasher works of art. (*grin)