Breaking the losing streak.

[leene_chan]

Paula Fay's Big Day., a photo by Leenechan on Flickr.

Well, we're not exactly losing. We're just becoming acutely aware of the three week blooming gap in our garden. All the other peonies are quite a bit farther behind.

I'll take another picture of Paula Fay when this flower is fully open. It's kind of sad that we've had this plant for at least five years and this is the first year that it looks like a real peony shrub. With only four flowers. Big ones, though!

I fell in love with Paula Fay when I saw it growing in the display garden at White Flower Farm. That and Scarlet O'Hara, which looks like just like Paula, but with a single rather than a semi-double flower.

Semi-double like Paula Fay and Coral Supreme is my favorite peony flower form, seconded by full-double like Moonstone. I don't really care for the bomb shape, but then again, a nice bomb is great once in a while.

Blasting aphids off with the garden hose every morning. Damn things are persistent! I found a third bud on James Mason today. Still haven't confirmed anything on Chapeau de Napoleon, but hey, I have my fingers crossed!