The selection of roots donated in 2010 were outstanding allowing for an array of choices for our members to choose from.
We would like to thank all those who purchased roots making our primary source of funding the success it has been and will continue to be with your continued support.
This year we would like to thank the following nursery friends:
Blossom Hill Nursery: Joe, Hazel & Amy Cook, Driedger Nurseries Ltd: Ed Driedger, Dutch Girl Peonies: Adriana Work, Ferncliff Gardens: David & Sheila Jack, La Pivoinerie D'Aoust: Lindsay D'Aoust, Peonies from The Field: Lana Taylor-Mills, Pivoines Capano: Mano Capano, Parkland Perennials: Bob Yaremko, Peonygarden.com: Terrie & Mike Clare, Planteck Biotechnologies: Richard Labbe, Select Plus: Frank Moro
and our members:
Angie Andruss, Barbara Baker, Carlos Beca, Robert Burtch, Nathalie Chaley, Chris Chirhin, Ann Finlayson, Wayne Lang, Alice Macaulay, Blaine Marchand, Eva Mitravitz, Brian Porter, Mary Pratte, Mary Ellen Simerson, Bill Wegman for their generous donations and making this years sale possible.
Every year our donors manage to offer roots that were just not available the year before. Enticing many members to eagerly snap them up. As always demand was high and supplies did not keep up. We had 78 varieties of roots to choose from and a total of 153 roots available for purchase. We had 46 members request 147 roots.
Our top 10 requests this year were: Adrienne Clarkson (4), Bride's Dream (4), Coral Sunset (8), Diana Parks (3), Garden Peace (4), George Vorauer (6), Going Banana's (4), Prairie Moon (5), Raggady Ann (4), Red Charm (5)
Gross revenue from the 2010 Root Sale was $3,322.50. Our donors spent $598.02 to ship the roots. After expenses our net profit was $2,706.75. This was down from 2009 totals but we hope with your continued support to make 2011 a prosperous year.
Please think of the Canadian Peony Society Root Sale when rearranging or digging up your beloved peonies and donate for 2011. We look forward to seeing the selections that will be compiled.
Monday, April 11, 2011
Monday, April 4, 2011
GROWING PEONIES
Native to China, peonies are well known and well loved perennials. Easy to grow, with glorious single or double blooms, ranging from white through yellow, pink, coral, reds and lavenders, they can remain in the garden for many decades.
Herbaceous peonies, hardy to zone 2, die down in winter; the leaves should be cut, not pulled, off
Herbaceous peonies, hardy to zone 2, die down in winter; the leaves should be cut, not pulled, off
around Halloween and put into the garbage to avoid disease problems. Tree peonies are woody-branched with beautiful leaves. Hardy to zone 4, no pruning is needed except to remove dead or frost damaged parts. Intersectional or Itoh peonies combine the features of both tree and herbaceous peonies. Many unusual colours have been produced in the Itoh group.
Plant peonies in the middle of a sunny border where their handsome leaves will form a backdrop for later flowering plants. Soil should be enriched with organic material, compost or manure and two tablespoons of bulb fertilizer, mixing well into an 8" to 9" deep hole which is then back filled, the peony roots should be covered by only 2" of soil. Failure to produce flowers is usually caused by planting too deep! Peonies should be fertilized with a low nitrogen fertilizer when the reddish shoots emerge in spring. This is the time to place supports or peony rings, to protect the brittle new shoots and to avoid the heartache when a spring storm flattens the blooms. Repeat fertilizing after blooming.
To produce larger flowers, disbudding may be done when the side buds are the size of peas, this process adds strength to young plants and reduces the weight on the stem. Deadheads should be removed to encourage plant growth.
Peonies are generally disease free but can be affected by botrytis, a fungal disease which blackens the leaves. Cut off and dispose of affected leaves. Sulphur can be used in severe cases.
With good soil preparation and a little patience these hardy plants will reward you with fabulous flowers for years to come.
Plant peonies in the middle of a sunny border where their handsome leaves will form a backdrop for later flowering plants. Soil should be enriched with organic material, compost or manure and two tablespoons of bulb fertilizer, mixing well into an 8" to 9" deep hole which is then back filled, the peony roots should be covered by only 2" of soil. Failure to produce flowers is usually caused by planting too deep! Peonies should be fertilized with a low nitrogen fertilizer when the reddish shoots emerge in spring. This is the time to place supports or peony rings, to protect the brittle new shoots and to avoid the heartache when a spring storm flattens the blooms. Repeat fertilizing after blooming.
To produce larger flowers, disbudding may be done when the side buds are the size of peas, this process adds strength to young plants and reduces the weight on the stem. Deadheads should be removed to encourage plant growth.
Peonies are generally disease free but can be affected by botrytis, a fungal disease which blackens the leaves. Cut off and dispose of affected leaves. Sulphur can be used in severe cases.
With good soil preparation and a little patience these hardy plants will reward you with fabulous flowers for years to come.
Article: J.E. Wingate
Richmond Hill Garden and Horticultural Society
Richmond Hill Garden and Horticultural Society
Sunday, February 20, 2011
Get A Jump on Spring
From Judi Denny/Marvin Belfour
Photo submitted by Judi Denny
Unfortunately, we were in the middle of the room with no place to put a banner, so it was not exactly a picturesque situation.
Very nice atmosphere! The weather was pretty lousy in the AM but it was fairly well attended.
Mary Ellen Simerson and Judi Denny made it despite a foot and a half of snow in their area plus the wind. Also in attendance were Marvin Belfour, Joe & Hazel Cook, and Mary Ann Robinson.
CPS brought in enough money to cover the cost of the table, selling two DVDs and lots of peony seeds, two of the old booklets but no memberships.
We also advertised the Ontario Region Peony Show (Oshawa June 11&12) along with the Peony Festival.
Overall, it was a fun day to reconnect with gardening friends from the different societies.
Unfortunately, we were in the middle of the room with no place to put a banner, so it was not exactly a picturesque situation.
Very nice atmosphere! The weather was pretty lousy in the AM but it was fairly well attended.
Mary Ellen Simerson and Judi Denny made it despite a foot and a half of snow in their area plus the wind. Also in attendance were Marvin Belfour, Joe & Hazel Cook, and Mary Ann Robinson.
CPS brought in enough money to cover the cost of the table, selling two DVDs and lots of peony seeds, two of the old booklets but no memberships.
We also advertised the Ontario Region Peony Show (Oshawa June 11&12) along with the Peony Festival.
Overall, it was a fun day to reconnect with gardening friends from the different societies.
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Get A Jump On Spring 2011
Take a break from winter and start planning for this year's growing season!
Gardeners who are counting the weeks until Spring arrives can look forward to one of the earliest harbingers of the season at the Toronto Botanical Garden's Annual event, Get the Jump on Spring, on Saturday, February 19, 2011 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is FREE, but a $2 donation to the TBG will give visitors chances at great, garden-themed hourly prizes!
Put on in partnership with the Ontario Horticultural Association, District 5 and the Toronto Master Gardeners, the event offers a chance to find out more about horticultural societies, garden clubs and environmental organizations from across Ontario. Master gardeners will be on hand to answer questions and there are fascinating hourly lectures and demonstrations, a popular floral design competition and a marketplace with spring flowers and many garden-themed products for sale. Indulge in a delectable treat at the Jump Cafe.
Put on in partnership with the Ontario Horticultural Association, District 5 and the Toronto Master Gardeners, the event offers a chance to find out more about horticultural societies, garden clubs and environmental organizations from across Ontario. Master gardeners will be on hand to answer questions and there are fascinating hourly lectures and demonstrations, a popular floral design competition and a marketplace with spring flowers and many garden-themed products for sale. Indulge in a delectable treat at the Jump Cafe.
PRESENTATIONS AND DEMONSTRATIONS
Every hour, starting at 10:30 a.m. well-known gardening experts and members of the Toronto Master Gardeners will give free 45-minute presentations and demonstrations on subjects ranging from Bee Keeping in the City and Balcony Gardening to tips on cooking with and preserving herbs.
FLORAL DESIGN COMPETITION
Enjoy the creative efforts of local clubs and societies with this year's theme Signs of Spring with four classes including a water-viewing design, growing and cut flowers in a basket, miniature landscapes in a dish garden and a design in an eggshell.
MARKETPLACE
Shop for gorgeous flowering bulb basket arrangements and great garden-related products from a variety of interesting vendors.
Location: Toronto Botanical Garden, 777 Lawrence Avenue East (at Leslie) Toronto. Free parking.
For more information call 416-397-1341 or visit www.torontobotanicalgarden.ca
For more information call 416-397-1341 or visit www.torontobotanicalgarden.ca
Want to get rid of the winter blahs, get involved and volunteer for a couple of hours at this event with the Canadian Peony Society. Contact Marvin Belfour @ mbelfour2007@rogers.com
Monday, September 20, 2010
Big Win for Farm Peonies
It was a record year for the Central Experimental Farm Peony Collection at the 2010 National Peony Show, June 12-13, at the Oshawa Valley Botanical Gardens. The CEF earned 7 first, 1 second, 3 third, and 9 fourth - place ribbons at the annual event that draws competitors from across Canada. And for the first time since the Friends of the Experimental Farm have been entering the show, a CEF peony made it to the Court of Honour. Winner in the common garden peony, single class, "Imperial Red" vied with 10 other first-in-their-class peonies for the title of Grand Champion. Although "Imperial Red" lost out, it received a special certificate of merit for making it to the prestigious Court of Honour. The Friends of the Farm Peony Team proudly presented the certificate to Jean-Pascal (JP) Gratton, Supervisor of the CEF Arboretum and Ornamental Gardens.
The tremendous showing by the CEF peonies is even more noteworthy when you consider the painstaking preparation process undertaken by the Friends of the Farm Peony Team. The blooms must be picked in the late bud stage, tagged, and refrigerated until show time. The process is repeated once or twice a week to catch the different varieties at the right point of ripening. The buckets are stored in a cooler in Building 72, and transported to the show in picnic coolers. At the show, there's some last-minute housekeeping - removing any unsightly leaves or stem marks and cutting the stem to a standard length - before each bloom makes it to the appropriate judging table.
Taken with permission from Friends of the Central Experimental Farm Fall 2010
Photo by R. Hinchcliff
The tremendous showing by the CEF peonies is even more noteworthy when you consider the painstaking preparation process undertaken by the Friends of the Farm Peony Team. The blooms must be picked in the late bud stage, tagged, and refrigerated until show time. The process is repeated once or twice a week to catch the different varieties at the right point of ripening. The buckets are stored in a cooler in Building 72, and transported to the show in picnic coolers. At the show, there's some last-minute housekeeping - removing any unsightly leaves or stem marks and cutting the stem to a standard length - before each bloom makes it to the appropriate judging table.
Taken with permission from Friends of the Central Experimental Farm Fall 2010
Photo by R. Hinchcliff
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Yellow Itoh ???
photo by Alice H.
A photo of this lovely bloom was taken September 9, 2010. Label was lost. Could be Yellow Heaven?? Any ideas.
Submitted by Alice Homer P.E.I.
A photo of this lovely bloom was taken September 9, 2010. Label was lost. Could be Yellow Heaven?? Any ideas.
Submitted by Alice Homer P.E.I.
Sunday, September 5, 2010
Lousy Weather , Great Blooms
by Carlos Beca
Peony blooms shared from the west. Carlos tells me the weather has been miserable this year, but, he managed to get some blooms to enjoy!!
Submitted by Carlos Beca, Alberta
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| Bu-Te |
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| Julia Rose |
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| Garden Treasure |
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| Harriet Olney |
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| Bess Bockstoce |
Peony blooms shared from the west. Carlos tells me the weather has been miserable this year, but, he managed to get some blooms to enjoy!!
Submitted by Carlos Beca, Alberta
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