Re: Underplanting peonies
Thanks for all the suggestions, everybody. Have plenty to think about
now!
Cathy, west central IL, z5b
On May 8, 2006, at 7:38 AM, Bonnie & Bill Morgan wrote:
> I concur with Gene, Cathy. Eventually you will need all 3 feet
> just for the
> peonies. You might consider an annual for a few seasons, like sweet
> alyssum. It will bloom ALL summer with sweet smelling, white
> blossoms.
> Depending on the foliage color (many of mine have a reddish tinge
> to their
> dark green leaves) you might want to look for a contrasting leaved
> annual.
> At the edge of one length of peonies, I have Sedum sarmentosum. It
> is very
> low to the ground, but the bright yellow-green leaves with their
> summer
> yellow blossoms make a very nice contrast.
>
> At the other end of one run of peonies, I also have a clump of the
> reblooming Iris that Jesse shared with me, Innocence. Again, it is
> a nice
> contrast in leaf shape and color as well as the added bonus of a
> fragrant
> bloom at a different time than the peonies.
>
> If you wanted to inter-plant something with your peonies, a house a
> couple
> of miles from here has a large circle bed with pink flowered
> peonies that
> are interplanted with a purple allium (Allium aflatuense 'purple
> sensation)
> on the corner of the property that makes a stunning presentation as
> most of
> the time, the two plant types bloom together! It looks very much
> like a
> GIANT bouquet growing out of the ground! (The bed is at least 10
> years old
> so is very full. They add nothing to it after bloom, but rather
> leave the
> peony foliage and deadhead the allium.) If you wanted something to
> bloom at
> a different time, perhaps you could use Lycoris squamigera (Nekkid
> Ladies)
> inside the outside border of your peonies so that those "Nekkid"
> stems would
> come up through the peony foliage and look like a totally different
> plant
> with it's pink blooms! (We had some growing through a short
> juniper hedge
> at one house and it, too, made a statement. I wouldn't think the
> strap like
> leaves to follow would cause any problems for the peonies, but
> maybe Gene
> would know.)
>
> Blessings,
> Bonnie (SW OH - zone 5)
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-gardenchat@hort.net [o*@hort.net]
> On Behalf
> Of Gene Bush
> Sent: Monday, May 08, 2006 6:33 AM
> To: gardenchat@hort.net
> Subject: Re: [CHAT] Underplanting peonies
>
> Cathy,
> I made a new bed with peony about 3 years back. Full sun. I
> used both
> vineing clematis and the clumpers. the trailing ones get placed on
> the peony
> foliage each spring after it is up. Also use siberian iris clumps,
> lilium in
> a couple of clumps, hardy geraniums. Bit of a traditional early
> summer bed,
> but I am after the foliage effect the rest of the year.
> You do not have much width to your bed.. peony will take all of
> the 3
> feet eventually.
> Gene E. Bush
> Munchkin Nursery & Gardens, llc
> www.munchkinnursery.com
> genebush@munchkinnursery.com
> Zone 6/5 Southern Indiana
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Cathy Carpenter" <cathy.c@insightbb.com>
>> Any suggestions for plants that would look good with herbaceous
>> peonies in a west facing, full sun bed? The bed is no more than 3
>> feet
>> wide. The peonies are a dark pink when in bloom, but my concern is
>> mostly what could bring interest to the bed after the peonies have
>> done their thing.
>> Cathy, west central IL, z5b
>
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