Tree Peonies!

I was in peony heaven this afternoon during a tour the Scott Arboretum gave of their tree peony collection. Director of Grounds Jeff Jabco gave a thorough survey of the peonies currently flowering on campus - predominantly tree peonies in addition to some intersectional (Itoh) and herbaceous types. The Itoh peonies were robust with gorgeous green foliage, and some of the standouts were ‘Scarlet Heaven’ and  ’Black Panther.’

My favorites of the tree peonies included ‘Nike,’ a Saunders hybrid with yellow crepe-paper petals with magenta flares and many bright yellow stamens.  The Japanese tree peony ‘Rimbo’ held magenta-purple double flowers above its foliage. ‘Chinese Dragon’  had wonderful cut-leaf foliage; ‘Vesuvian’ was a deep, dark double burgundy; and the species Paeonia rockii was a bright white with deep magenta flares.

The collection was stunning - over 80 varieties of tree peonies! The recent cool, wet weather had prolonged their flowering, while many others were just in bud. It’s well worth more visits to view the next wave of blooms. 

Potagers & Garden Tours

Back in June, the Scott Arboretum organized a great garden tour of private gardens in the Kennett Square area of Pennsylvania, and I apparently forgot to write about that day. One of the gardens on the tour really stood out, and luckily I was able to return with the Chanticleer interns a few weeks ago on one of our monthly field trips. 

The garden is part of a larger private estate that encompasses 200 acres along the Brandywine River in Chadds Ford. The landscape is amazing: a driveway meanders through a sycamore allee and a grass meadow before it culminates at the house. From where the house is situated at the top of the hill, there are 360 degree views of the surrounding hills and valley below.

In addition, there is a sunken, brick-enclosed potager that the homeowners commissioned the late Rosemary Verey to design. Nestled into the hillside, the potager garden is a very intimate space that connects to what lies beyond with occasional views outward. Though the garden is quite young (work began in 1996), it feels rich with history and tradition. Old lead cisterns dating back to the 1700’s sit in each corner of the garden, further invoking a sense of age. During our tour, the homeowner let us in on a little secret: only one of the five cisterns is authentic, while the other four are modern day copies.