Pastel Splendor
A couple of posts ago I included a shot of one of my favourite peonies: Itoh ‘Pastel Splendor’.
I’d wanted an Itoh for a very long time but in the UK they don’t come cheap. They are intersectional hydrids, effectively a cross between a tree peony and a herbaceous. And then one day back in 2016 I happened upon one for what seemed like a reasonable price. Well, a reasonable price as far as Itohs go. So it would have been rude not to now wouldn’t it? Purchasing it was taking something of a risk as the peony was not in bloom at the time and all I had to go on was the picture on the label.
Imagine my surprise then when the plant flowered the following year. I’d been following the progress of the bud for weeks, inspecting it each and every day as it gently plumped out and finally burst into bloom. Beautiful yes. But, as you might also think looking at the photo on the header of this post, could it really be called pastel? Certainly it was nothing like the image on the plant tag. Had I been had? Always a worry when you pay less for something than you might expect. Even when it comes from a reputable source.
As it turned out, all I had to do was wait…
The journey to pastel. It just got better and better. And then, a puff of a breeze and it was gone.
Until the next year.
Lovely
It is. But fleeting.
What a delicious color progression!
I look forward to it all year and then a bloom opens and is gone in a few short days. Still worth it though!
Beautiful. I do love peonies. Itoh is special indeed. My pink one went from not quite Barbie to brown because of the rain. To see yours on the slide show is delightful.
The blooms haven’t lasted as long as previous years.
Did you get showers today? Bloomin’ heck. Biblical. Nothing on the radar and then within minutes every gutter was overflowing.
We got off quite lightly with just clouding over for a while, but no rain and then it passed. I do tend to check on radar where the rain is or where it is likely to go. Last thing I want is to be struck by lightening outside! I have a bit of a phobia there! Extremely humid though. Looks like we will get the storms tomorrow – 57% chance and a 52% chance on Wednesday – dang! But it might all change again by then! I did see that there had been a lightening strike on the north side of Dartmoor – but couldn’t zoom in to see exactly where so it might have been on the Cornish borders. On the plus side I finally planted my squashes and all my sweetcorn. Probably be battered tomorrow by hail. Oh well never a dull moment – so many challenges! LOL!
According to the radar we had a purple shower today.. 120mm/hour. And there were similar storms right across the West Country. South of Exmoor caught it particularly badly. Thunder and lightning too, I hope you (and the ducklings!) were well under cover if you caught one. Squashes in tomorrow for me. Weather permitting..
Saw Barnstaple area had a large storm and to the north of us, possibly Wiveliscombe way across from Taunton. I only had 2 birds out in the garden and they were fine. We had sun and then I heard a couple of close rumbles. Birds still fine, although I ushered them back in the run. The sky was beautiful and yet a little too dark so close! But while the rumbles were many and sounded very close, we had no rain and I didn’t see any lightening either. This evening putting the birds to bed the dairy guys were zooming around on a quad shooting rabbits – scared me half to death as I heard the shotguns first and then I heard the vehicle. A heads up would have been nice! The birds were pretty scared too. Suffice to say they went to bed quick! And they are still out there shooting! So much for an early night!
We seem to have rabbits again this year. It’s strange, some years I see hardly any and others the garden is a forest of chicken wire. I haven’t had to go that far yet but there is evidence of nibbling. The babies have no fear, they don’t run away even when I get close up to them. They’re very cute though..
I had noticed a couple were often in the garden – that very morning Murray went outside for something and I spotted a rabbit on the path – not worried at all by the human wandering around. When he came back indoors the rabbit was still on the path and chomping dandelion leaves. It is sad as they are cute and I love seeing the little tails. I took a photo through the kitchen window. Not the first time – we had a rabbit wandering up to the back door while I was there before now. I do enjoy the wild life, but not so fond of turning my ankle in their holes – already have a bionic one, last thing I need is more pins and plates on the other side! LOL!
I discovered a new hole in the making yesterday. One of them is digging horizontally into the face of the Precipitous Bank. They undermine the plants and destroy the roots. A garden full of wildlife is a pleasure but an ongoing battle as well!
Oh no, not good. Our veggie patch has extra fencing deep down and bent outwards. It does help that the shillet prevents deeper digging. We have bunnies making long trenches at the side, but they can’t get in. The voles can though – win some, lose some! Bring on the raptors!
I think the reason we have so many owls here is the ready availability of baby bunnies and voles. Just a shame they can’t keep up.
Today the squirrels have started on the roses. Boscobel and Susan Williams-Ellis have both had blooms shredded. Piles of petals left in very visible positions on the path.. it is a major escalation in hostilities but I refuse to be intimidated.
Oh no! Never seen squirrels do that before! I have no idea what you can do to prevent that damage!
On a brighter note all 15 eggs have hatched. All ducklings and mum disappeared at the midday check. After heart failure followed by panic we heard cheeps coming from the other duck house. They’d only gone visiting their aunty! All back in their own nest – but what a day to take day old babies on a walkabout! Vile weather!
Yay! Ducklings.
It’s foul out there (no pun). They are in their element though. Me, just back from sprinkling yet more organic slug pellets round the dahlias (which are getting munched regardless) am most definitely not.
Ugh, slugs – you need some ducks! I gather khaki Campbells are the best there! LOL!
😄😄
I agree – that very morning Murray went outside while a rabbit was sitting on the path – didn’t worry about the human bustling around. It was still there when the human came back indoors. I took a photo and it continued to mooch along the path, then sat up while munching a dandelion leaf. Very cute! They have wandered up to the back door before. I also love seeing them – even the foxes, but I am not so happy when I turn my ankle in one of their sneaky holes that the grass disguises! LOL!
Worth every penny (pound). What a glorious, changing bloom. A gift that keeps on giving.
It is. I love the last stage, but bittersweet knowing that it’s about to fall apart.
Definitely worth it in my opinion! It’s lovely!
Peonies do really well here. They seem to like my heavy soil. It’s made me more confident experimenting with the exotic varieties!
It’s amazing how the colour fades away while the petals stay on. Gorgeous magenta pales to clotted cream!
I love the clotted cream. The petals are barely hanging on at that stage. Perhaps that makes it even more lovely.
I love peonies, but they seem to have a love/hate relationship with me. Mine have just been moved for the third time, each time giving them several years to settle in and be SURE that they hate their new location. I was at the nursery just yesterday and saw some itoh peonies and I came soooo close to buying a couple and simply replacing the ones that I just moved in hopes that a new variety would be happier with me. I didn’t. But that doesn’t mean I won’t. Yours are much more beautiful than mine ever were.
I have been lucky with peonies so far. As yet I’ve only dared move one, although ‘Bowl of Beauty’ is imminent. The trick apparently is not planting them too deeply.
I love peonies as well, but my “came with the house” ones are covered in what I think is powdery mildew. I’m going to try a soap/baking soda spray. Fortunately, they are located away from the rest of the garden, in a bed at the front of the house. I’ve [planted others in a bed at the furthest part of the property away from the affected ones, and they seem to be OK. Crossing fingers that they stay that way!
I do hope the spray works. Powdery mildew is horrible, I have it too but so far not on peonies. They tend to be in a more open, sunny position so perhaps that could be the reason?
Mine are in a bed at the corner of the house facing south. Maybe the house shelters them too much from wind, but they certainly get all the sun there is. A new one at the other front corner doesn’t seem to have a problem. Maybe the the mildewed ones are getting old. I’m going to spray this evening…
Oh gosh, good luck!
So so beautiful! Well, all peonies are gorgeous, but this is spectacular!!!
I love peonies. I have invested in two more this year. Herbaceous though.. the Itoh budget is spent!
I can see why these lovely, radiant flowers would be close to your heart.
They’re gorgeous aren’t they. Shame they don’t last for longer but perhaps that is part of the magic.
How interesting…and beautiful at all stages! You conveyed your joy so perfectly. 🙂
I’ve appreciated them more than ever this year, we all need a bit more joy.
But so beautiful while it lasted.
Indeed it was.
It’s luscious – at all stages. I bought an Itoh peony in 2013 at a semi-reasonable price but it hasn’t bloomed since I planted it. The foliage comes up reliably every year, apparently just to taunt me.
I wonder if it would take to being moved to an alternative spot. I dread shifting any peony though, never mind an Itoh. And summer in California obviously wouldn’t be the best time!
Just gorgeous!
In flower for maybe two weeks, out of bloom for 50. It has to be gorgeous!
A lovely flower. It’s always a pity when the wind blows up at an unwanted time.
I hate it at any time but especially in spring and summer. It’s heartbreaking to see all the lovely lush growth ripped from trees and plants.
They are just as pricey here. But worth it. My one plant is getting shaded out. So do I prune a Ginkgo or move the Peony.? Always another decision in the garden.
That’s not an easy decision either. But how many of them are.
Humph! I want more ‘bang for my buck’ than that! You reminded me of our experience. We have a small, by your standards Jessica, minute, garden, and when we bought the house 11 years ago fully a quarter of the back yard was taken up by a magnificent Rhododendron tree. It had dinner-plate sized, rich crimson flowers, for all of two weeks of the year, and for the other 50 my husband tried to keep it in check. After two seasons we reluctantly had it chopped out. It was sad, but necessary.
They do grow enormous. Our predecessor was very fond of them too. Like so many of the shrubs around here he planted them too close together, ending up with a thicket where none of them grew particularly well. We tried moving them, assisted by the fact that they’d been planted still in their original pots! Most survived but it was a tough old job. Not an experience I’d want to repeat.
Hi Jessica
Your peony is absolutely lovely and I am sure next year it will have even more flowers. I have several peonies in the garden flowering at different times. I have one Itoh peony and when I read your post I rushed out and fought my way into the border to check for flower buds. There are some but they are tiny so now each morning on my border patrol I check their progress. I know these plants do not flower for long but the anticipation of their glory is part of the enjoyment and of course afterwards the foliage sets off other plants. Enjoy the flowers while they last.
Hi Joyce. You’re right, the anticipation is all part of the pleasure. Especially at this time of year when it coincides with an explosion of bloom right across the garden. I haven’t noticed it particularly on the itoh but certainly the herbaceous peonies also have those wonderful red emerging buds and some have autumn colour too.
I understand what intersectional peonies are after a recent GW programme so it was good to read your experience of them – she’s a pretty one!
Yes, I saw that GW programme too. Made me think I should try tree peonies next!
Beautiful peony … I feel and do the same thing with Green Lotus .. I can’t stop taking pictures of it for a week and then it is gone for another year.
But … peony foliage is still lush and green for the season thankfully 😉
Hope you stop by to see my Green Lotus !
We need to make the most of these fleeting moments!
I shall indeed stop by to see Green Lotus.
Fleeting and expensive here, too. And beautiful, oh yes.
Worth it I reckon. Peonies do well for me here.. as roses do for you.