Peony for your thoughts?

It's not even May yet and my daffodils are done, my tulips are on their way out and I swear my lilies will be sprouting buds any minute now. The biggest surprise was my foot and a half tall budding peonies. Much to everyone's enjoyment, spring came early this year. Whereas I usually don't make it into the yard until Memorial Day weekend to start planting containers and putting in new perennials, the time has come to start preparing.

The one thing I have failed to do every spring since I have lived in my home is properly support my peonies. These gorgeous ruffled blooms are heavy with fragrance and well, just plain heavy for their delicate stems. And typically, just after the first great storm or two of the season, they droop to the ground and wilt away just as quickly as they blossom.

Peonies really aren't all that demanding for being such an impressive flower. In addition to finding them a home in a nice sunny spot, try setting up a support system to prolong their lifespan. If your peonies are small, individual stakes may work if you have the patience and diligence to tie each stem. My peonies, on the other hand, are full-on shrubs, so I've opted for a more simple method, similar to that of a tomato cage. Even better are the grow-through type supports that allow for a better separation of blooms.

I kept telling myself, "If I only do one thing this gardening season, I'm going to support my peonies." It was quite an easy mission to accomplish, and I'm excited to see the results.