Pilgrimage to Adleman Peony Garden 2014

I said I wasn't going to do it. No more peonies for 2014! I swear! I REALLY meant it too.

BUT, as expected, I easily caved and it didn't take long for that to go right out the window...  I apparently have a peony addiction. The first step is admitting you have a problem.

The peonies at The Lents Farmer are just finishing up for the season - I've been deadheading the last of the blooms and tidying up the plants for the summer season. I'm finally getting caught up on this season's peony blooms.

This trip to Adleman's was a few weekends ago, so forgive the tardiness in posting.

I took my friend Alan, who's spent recent weeks whipping his yard into shape. We made a full day of plant shopping, first heading to Adleman's, then Al's in Woodburn and then topped it off at the open house at Rare Plant Research.

"May the peace of the garden be with you"

Our timing was excellent for seeing the display gardens and the growing fields in all their glory. Last year, I went opening weekend for the 10% off on potted plants, but there were fewer flowers blooming to see. I like to have pick of the litter, so I'd rather go early and have more to choose from. And it's much more fun to buy a plant in bud to take home.

Sales area

The lesson learned this trip was that by going later in the season, the sale plants were pretty picked over when we got there and the overall stock was low, so none of the plants I actually wanted to get were available. All sold out!

We took a little more time going over the catalog and researching what was still available. I selected two peonies to buy.

That seems reasonable right? It's easy to slip two into the garden without having to dig up grass.
 
After going to the checkout area and seeing the cut flowers in vases, I had to go back out to the sales area to pick two more plants up. I tended towards "red" and large single flowers this visit, which is good because I generally end up with pink flowers.

Here are the three I bought in their cut flower display vases. I did buy a fourth plant called 'Pink Pom Pom'.

Paeonia lactiflora 'Red Red Rose'

Paeonia lactiflora 'Mahagony'

Paeonia lactiflora 'Mackinac Grand'

Alan picked out five. Being a "peony virgin", he was sufficiently seduced into the need to buy several for his new flowerbeds.  

Cart full of booty.

The display gardens and the peony growing fields are well worth a visit. 

'Christmas Velvet'

'Minnie Shaylor'

'Rhapsody'

'Leslie Peck'

'Summer Glow'

'Fairy Princess'

'Color Magnet'

'Hillary' - Intersectional Peony

'Cora Louise' - Intersectional Peony

'Coral 'n Gold'

'Comanche'

'Red Charm'

'Edulis Superba'

'Touch of Class'

'Big Ben'

'Cream Puff'

More 'Red Charm'

'Unique' - Intersectional Peony

'Bartzella'?