A lot of gardeners wisely move some of their houseplants outside during the summer to give them better light and fresher air. It is a tricky thing to do because light conditions inside our homes are always much more reduced than even the shadiest location in our gardens. Leaves that have been grown inside our homes have thinner cuticles and are consequently more susceptible to sunburn when moved outside. By taking special care to acclimate them, by first placing them in full shade and gradually moving them into sunnier places in the garden, we can usually be successful. That being said, now it is time to reverse this ordeal and bring those little friends back inside and try to keep them happy for the rest of the winter. Here are a few things to consider in this process:
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.