I’m not very good at gardening so I am naturally drawn to plants that thrive on benign neglect. I discovered this peony struggling underneath a rampant rosemary bush last year and thought it had died. Its stems were snapped and broken and it was getting no light at all. This year, the rosemary bush was severely pruned back (after all, how much rosemary can a body eat?) and the peony has recovered spectacularly, throwing out dozens of gorgeous blowsy blossoms. My kind of plant. Click to enlarge.
Many years ago, a girl who didn’t like me much said that I reminded her of a Peony. I didn’t know at the time what a Peony looked like but I knew she meant it as an insult.
Funny thing is as soon as I discovered Peonies I fell in love with them! Your Peony is absolutely beautiful and you captured it so well.
I would have thought calling you a peony was a compliment – they are so pretty! They are my absolute favourite flower, I love them. Must buy more!