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.


Honesty is always the best policy and since I promised a “Trilogy of Conifers” last week, on we go with even more conifer mojo. We explored their variations in color, texture and growth habits for local landscapes. In episode two this week, I want to focus on the many calming shades of blue, highlighting some selections with both superior color and shape…