Choice Itoh Peonies are Available at Last

Peony 'Cora Louise'

       Flipping through a magazine in the spring, the mere photograph of a peony heavily loaded with  blossoms can make even a non- gardener wonder whether there's a spot in the yard for one of those "things" . (You must remember that some homeowners aren't familiar with many plant names,

Peony 'Yumi' (aka 'Yellow Doodle Dandy')

remembering only that their grandmother grew one of these flowers back in Wisconsin.) Because I am from upstate New York I am very familiar with the fragrant, robust herbaceous peonies that thrive on cold and neglect in the northern climates. When I was a child our backyard had an easy-care hedge of gorgeous pink peonies ---mixed in with several colors of lilacs. A few months ago I learned about another type of peony, and the fact that these gorgeous hybrids are also deer-resistant should make your ears prick up.

Peony 'Keiko'

     This piece deals with Itohs, those unusual-looking peonies that are starting to appear in garden centers now. The prices on these intersectional hybrids can make many shoppers quite sure there's a major mistake on the price tag. Now I'm not going to lie and say that these peonies are priced for everyone's pocketbook, however once you understand the genetics behind them you may decide that in a year or so there will be one in your garden! Originally developed in Japan in the 1940's by famed peony hybridizer Toichi Itoh, these choice perennials combine the best of both

Peony 'Kopper Kettle'

parents. The large multi-petaled flowers and sturdy stems come from its tree peony side; and the attractive dissected foliage and shrubby habit (passed from the herbaceous parent) make these great garden plants even when not in bloom. Another very important point is that the stems are sturdy enough to hold many flowers without the staking required by a traditional garden peony. Sounds like a win-win situation to me!

Peony 'Misaka'

 

The Purple Curtain

Wisteria Knows No Speed Limit

        Each April in many areas of Hampton Roads it seems a purple curtain has been drawn across the landscape.  I am speaking of the very hardy, twining Wisteria vine with its long clusters of fragrant, lavender-purple flowers.  There is so much of it growing here both in gardens and in the wild, that one might think it was native.  However most of what's seen is either Japanese Wisteria (Wisteria floribunda) or Chinese Wisteria (W. sinensis).  It can be very difficult to tell the difference between the two since they look so similar, but the Japanese version twines clockwise and the Chinese goes counter clockwise.  Among either of these species you can find numerous cultivars that offer varying shades of purple, as well as pink or white flowers.

Wisteria floribunda 'Texas Purple' and 'Issai'

     Both varieties of this imported plant are extremely vigorous and almost unrivaled in their speed of growth, often reaching 40-50' tall, or more.  Wisteria is a member of the Pea family of plants, and as such the flowers will develop pods full of bean-like fruit that is easily germinated (and not always coming up where desired).  Wisteria also spreads by underground roots and when you combine this with the fertility of the seeds, you can see why many state's list it as invasive.  If you would like a less pernicious Wisteria, there are several native varieties, with the most common being American Wisteria (W. frutescens) that only gets 20-30' tall.  Though their flower clusters are smaller than their Asian cousin's, they have the nice habit of blooming later in the spring, but also occasionally through the summer.

Wisteria frutescens

     If you want to grow any of the Wisterias it is best to select an area that gets full to part sun.  They will grow in nearly any soil type, but not in overly wet ones.  It is critical that you provide stout support for Wisteria, preferably steel pipe, as it will destroy all but the strongest of wooden arbors and pergolas.  Wisteria suffers from few pests or diseases, but among the Asian types canker can be a problem.  The Asian varieties can also be a little frustrating for gardeners as many of them can take seven years or more to flower, especially if high nitrogen fertilizers are used nearby.  However, some of the named varieties bloom at a younger age, as do all of the American varieties.  If you have a Wisteria that is being reluctant to bloom there are some tricks you can do to change its mind.  In fact, we have a pamphlet on the topic you can pick up at the store.

     I would like to end this article by mentioning one particular Chinese Wisteria, the largest Wisteria alive.  It is located in Sierra Madre, California and was purchased in 1894 for 75 cents.  Today it covers more than one acre, has 1.5 million blossoms and is the largest blooming plant in the world according to the Guinness Book of World Records.  This might make you want to think twice about where to place yours.

Les Parks

What's Old is New Again

     In the fashion world they say if you wait long enough everything comes back into style.  I believe that to be true because I'm wearing tie-dyed shirts and bell bottoms again. Anyway, who knew it was also true in the gardening world?

     As I stand in the garden center unpacking box after box of new merchandise purchased, I'm seeing a common thread. Everything I am unpacking is stuff I grew up with! It's amazing how comforting that is. I look at my

furniture selections and see metal sets from my aunt's backyard, rockers from my grandmother's front porch and striped umbrellas from the beach. I see brightly colored ceramic pots from the 60's, ceramic mushrooms and frogs from the 70's and wire bistro sets from the 50's. Oh and let's not forget smudge pots from the 30's and 40's dressed up and renamed firepots. The concrete has been given a fresh coat of paint ala 1940 and the bamboo and celestial windchimes are reminiscent of the late 1950's or early 1960's. Any kind of Hawaiian Tiki or surfboard is hot this year! And even though I don't have plastic flamingo yard birds (the best company went out of business 2 years ago) I do have flamingo bird houses that are just as cute.

Margie Cooper