Peonies season came and went in the blink of an eye. Part of it is the natural growing cycle of the flower. The other part was the remnants of tropical storm Cristobal, which somehow made its way up to the Midwest. While it was good to have the rain, we kept praying that it would not be a deluge and wash away all the crop seeds. We were fortunate, that it was a soaking rain instead. Although 5” of water in some areas created flash flooding, including in town’s golf course. But next morning, the peonies were all on the ground and battered. Some were still closed and I let them open on the plants before cutting them. These photos are of the last harvest of peonies.
Aside from harvesting the peonies and bringing vases indoors, where they will fill the air with their lovely scent, I love to take it all in. By that I mean, I like to spend time sitting with the shrubs and taking in their scent, which can be quite intoxicating on a hot day. These peonies have been in this house for about 35 years, so they are wonderfully established. They are also hybridizing themselves, and you can now see how some of the pink peonies now have white ones growing from the same plant. Same with the white Festiva Maxima, which started showing more pink than usual.
But my favorite thing to see is the friendly pollinators coming to do their thing, especially the bees. Big bumble bees greeted us this day, as if they too knew this was almost the end of these beauties until next year. Their buzz reminding me of the vital cycle of pollination that they bring to not just flowers, but also fruits and vegetables. I always come back from the garden with a smile on my face. It truly brings peace and joy to my little heart.
You may find me joining some of these fun link-ups: In a Vase on Monday, Harvest Monday, Mosaic Monday, Friday Bliss, Pink Saturday, Nature Notes, Thankful Thursday, Grace at Home, Weekend Blog Hop, Garden Blogger's Bloom Day (15th of the Month), End of Month View (31st of the Month), Six on Saturday, Love Your Creativity Link Party.