Splitting Peonies

 "To plant a garden is to believe in tomorrow." 

~Audrey Hepburn 

                   

Do you see these peonies? Aren't they wonderful? They are the result of a plant-splitting experiment. Micah and I are not gardeners. When we bought our house, it came with three established peony bushes. They quickly became my favorites! 

Last spring we noticed that we had a little empty spot next to our roses that we thought would look better if it was filled in with something. We wondered if peonies could be split and transplanted. I told Micah the pale pink ones were my favorite, and I would love to have more! 

This is the mother plant last spring right before she bloomed and was split. She sits proudly at our front gate, and has always been faithful to bloom beautifully for us every year.

                 

After she was split and transplanted, we found out that peonies can be split, but it's advised that it's done in the fall. I became a nervous wreck. We did it in the spring! I didn't know if it would still work. 

I faithfully watered the little plant, every single morning, for the entire spring and summer. It stayed alive and green all summer, but never budded or bloomed.

It survived its first winter, and came up green early this spring. I was hopeful! And then, about a month ago, I noticed buds! I called Micah over to it, saying, "Look! Look! It just might bloom! This makes me so happy!" 

               

He smiles and nods, and walks away rolling his eyes, whenever I get unreasonably excited about silly things. I don't care, I think this is magnificent!!! 

"There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle."  ~Albert Einstein 

Look at this! Only one year later we have these beautiful blooms:

               

I think they get along well next to the roses...

              

And how do they know how to poke their little heads through the fence?! I'm glad they know how to do this! It makes me so happy!

              

The mother plant acts as if nothing ever happened: 

Isn't she beautiful?! This is what she looks like from inside the fence:

So, I now have two pale pink bushes, a white bush, and a deep pink bush. This morning I decided to go out and cut some blooms for the house. Fresh decorating is my favorite kind of decorating. While I was out there, I got a little distracted and the next thing I knew I was spreading some fresh mulch under the bushes. I think this looks much better:

I took my clippings into the house to play:

                 

They are going to replace this arrangement that looked great when I first did it, but is now dying:

                

Do you like my crystal vase? It does not live its life behind my china hutch doors. No, no! I use my good things! 

                

This vase was a gift from my grandparents on my sixteenth birthday. It came with this note, handwritten by my grandma, that I still have!

               

It says, 

Courtney -

When the boyfriends start to bring flowers you will have an antique vase.

Love- Grandma & Grandpa D. 

I freshened up the dining room arrangement:

              

I didn't bother with the Hosta leaves and Iris's like I did with the first arrangement. I like to do different things each time, and this time I wanted the peonies to be able to speak for themselves:

             

Just one arrangement is never enough! Oh, no; I am not satisfied. I went back out and brought in more:

             

And more...

            

And just a little bit more...

           

This is why I don't need therapy. This is my therapy!

         

I think therapists should stop prescribing medication and just prescribe this instead! ;) Do you think that would work? Haha... 

"Here is one prescription for three-dozen fresh, perfume-smelling, eye-catching, inspiring, beautiful, and wonderfully uplifting flowers for your home life!" 

POOF! Depression gone.

(Try it! You'll see!!! Haha!)

          

I have a little trick that I like to do whenever I want to put fresh flowers in antique vases or pitchers that I don't want getting wet:

          

This is an extremely old hand-painted pitcher that has some cracks along the bottom. I'm not comfortable filling it up with water, so I just insert a little cup of water instead. 

No one would ever know:

I'm enjoying the pink in my kitchen right now:

               

By the way, as a side note, this is why I don't have color on my walls. I like for my furniture, art, and accessories to be the stars of the show. 

Well friends, today is coming to a close. My kids are in their beds, Micah is out mowing our yard, and I'm wrapping up this post. Summer evenings are always so beautiful. The sun sets out our back windows, bringing evening light into the kitchen.

             

Peonies, (like lilacs, tulips, daffodils, etc...) are one-time bloomers, not continuous bloomers like hydrangea's and roses, for example. So, that's why it's important to enjoy every minute of them! Once they're done, they're done for the year. 

If you have a peony bush in your yard, I encourage you to clip some blooms and bring them into your house! It's well worth the time and effort! We should never underestimate the emotional and mental benefits of a little beauty around the home. 

Even the process of clipping them and arranging them in a pretty vase is relaxing. I want a peaceful life where rich meaning can be found in simple things. That's why my morning routine includes going outside as soon as breakfast is over to water plants, wander around the yard, and bring clippings into the house. Over the past few years this has sort of become my daily summer ritual.

I wouldn't trade it in for money, diamonds, or anything fancy... A few flowering plants to call my own is the perfect life for me...

...And I'm enjoying sharing all this with you!

     xo,

~Courtney