I think it is safe to say that most northwest gardeners (or even non-gardeners) a familiar with lupines - those plants we see along the freeway in late May and early June with their spikes of blue flowers. They are native all-over North America and are one of the first plants to…
During the months of May and June one of the all-time favorite plants of local gardeners, the peony, is bursting into bloom. There are many excellent peonies available to utilize in our landscapes; including herbaceous cottage types in all sorts of colors (and varying fragrances) and larger growing tree peonies too. I would never scold anyone for growing either of these types (since I do as well), but I want to bring attention to another fabulous peony option… what is known as the intersectional or Itoh Peony.