TREE PEONY LOVE!

Four years ago my husband and sons KINDLY took me to the Dr Sun Yat Sen Gardens in Chinatown in Vancouver for Mother's Day.  It's really not their "thing" but knowing that I love it they did it all for me and that's where I found my new flower love!  TREE PEONIES!!

I was walking along this traditional Chinese Garden, did you know it was the first one built outside of China?, and I came upon a tree like structure that had, what looked to me, the biggest peony blooms I had ever seen-they were the size of my head!  When we left I asked one of the volunteers if it was a peony and she said yes and that was it for me-I was IN LOVE!

Me with my son Antonio Mother's day

I soon found out my LOVE was for good reason-The Chinese people consider the tree peony as a symbol of wealth, fortune, luck, prosperity and happiness-and really who couldn't use more of that!  and the place best known for them is Heze.  The history of tree peony cultivation in Heze is long and can be traced back to the Sui Dynasty (581A.D-618A.D.). During the Sui Dynasty lived a famous flower grower named Qi Lu Huan who first introduced the tree peony into this land, rooting it here permanently. From its introduction in the Sui Dynasty, the Heze tree peony rose in importance and popularity during in the Tang Dynasty (618A.D.-907A.D.) and flourished in the Qing Dynasty(1636A.D.-1912A.D.).  I would say this is one pretty special flower-I love it for it's great big bloom (not gonna lie here:))

I found my own tree peony at a local garden center 3 years ago and it's finally bloomed!!  I blogged about it in my YAY for Gardening Post and we've come a long way since then..

Here is the evolution of my babe....

Here she is as a "bud"

Getting bigger

I could put my whole face in that!

Beautiful sunny day and look at her!

Seriously who couldn't fall in love?

I know there is only one lonely bloom but next year there will be more until one day this entire arch way, which I used solely to frame this beautiful baby (too much?) will take over the entire space and I will be the envy of the neighbourhood.....and really isn't that part of the point?

YAY for Gardening!!

I LOVE GARDENING!!  A lot of people think that florists and gardening are synonymous but are two different art forms and I am blessed to have a passion for both!  I bought my home about 13 years ago and from the day I walked through the door I have had a picture of my ideal garden in my head....I drive my husband nuts!!  Gardening and landscaping are a lot of money. A LOT!  Never mind the time:)  so I do it in fits and spurts planting things in the strangest places and putting rocks around it so the boys don't mow my babies down (yes I plant things in the middle of the grass) reassuring my family that there is a plan-in my head! 
I purchase many of my seeds from Salt Spring Seeds They carry heritage and heirloom seeds that they ship to your house-I squeal in delight when I get my shipment (I can't help it!) I had the honour of going to their farm on Salt Spring Island and have been in love with their dedication to plants and the earth and the quality of their products ever since.  But just like everyone else I buy plants from hardware stores, gardening centers (I tend to buy my perennials here as they tend to have a guarantee and are better quality), craigslist (YES!  craigslist and other similar sites quite often have avid gardener's looking to share their plants for free-and free is GOOD!)
But now for some photos......
Here are my tomato babies growing in one of my windows right now.....

Roma, Ardwyn Paste, Carbon Beefsteak, Pine Fog, and more

Can't wait to get these babies into their permanent home in the yard and then on my plate-MMMM

This past week I've been turning the soil with it's newly laid manure, cow if you must know:).  I don't use any pesticides or chemicals on my plants choosing to garden with compost and poop! HAHA

These are some of my little ones growing in the garden as we I write this.....

Tree peony

I first saw a tree peony when my family took me to a local Japanese Garden and I thought I might die from love!  The bloom was as large as my head! This is the third year in my garden and the first bloom may show-SO EXCITED!!

Azalea

Magnolia Tree

This is my second magnolia tree, first one died but I'm not quite sure why, but LOOK at the number of blooms on this one!  I didn't know their flowers had a soft scent but they do and I can't wait to stick my face in their glorious blooms:)

Purple lupins

I really love lupins, and so do the bees, but how do I keep the aphids off?  any suggestions out there?

Madrona

Even greenery, like this madrona, has the prettiest little trumpet like flower in the spring.

The birds and bees love my garden, I have two finch nests in the yard right now-BABIES YAY!, and I can hear them again-makes my heart sing!  It's still a little cold out to really get into the real nitty gritty of it all but can't wait!  I will keep you updated on my babes (and if that peony does bloom you'll be one of the first to see the pictures!) I also love to share my plants so if you would like some clippings send me a message-I'm happy to share. 
Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to get more poop!  (LOL)