We have the most glorious peonies growing in our backyard. There is a pretty remarkable story behind them, too. The peony bushes in our yard are at least 80 years old...possibly older. They are a legacy gift from my husband's grandparents.
The bushes were originally in the yard of Mark's maternal grandparents in Sharon, Pennsyslvania. When his mother was a little girl they moved to another house in Sharon and replanted them there. Decades later, his widowed grandmother came to live here in Indiana with Mark's family. When she did, my in-laws dug up the bushes and transplanted them here, too. About ten years ago, Mark's parents downsized to a smaller house nearby and Mark and I and our kids moved into the house Mark grew up in. Along with the house, came the beautiful peony bushes. They bloom faithfully every May; but only for a couple of weeks. And when the do...they are stunning.
Because the blooms are so huge, they are often found face down in the dirt or in the grass because their stems cannot support their weight. They make gorgeous cut bouquets which i love to scatter around the house. It feels very indulgent. Every year I say that i'd like to paint these beauties. This year I took lots of pictures for reference.
This is my nightstand right now:
It's a myth that ants are needed to "open" peony's tight buds...but they do love to hang out on them.
I have to shake the fresh cut peonies upside down to discard the ants before I bring the flowers in. There's almost always a stow-away or two.
One day, I hope that my grandchildren's children will enjoy these flowers...
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