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Anticipation

This is exciting! I have wanted an orange ginger lily for as long as I can remember. I tried growing it in Alabama and never got a bloom. I do have a white ginger ( Hedychium spicatum )  that has had a few blooms. A few years ago, someone told me that 'Tara' is the only one that will reliably bloom here. I don't know if that it true but I finally got one this year (thank you Dancing Oaks!). Planted in April next to our South foundation and given ample water, I can hardly believe it, but it looks like a bloom is imminent - in its first year! I'm holding my breath... Text and photos by Phillip Oliver, Dirt Therapy
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The First Peony - 'Shima-Nishiki'



The Tree Peony 'Shima-Nishiki' is the first to bloom. The name means "fire flame" in Japanese, an apt title to describe the red blooms striped with white. Occasionally, there are solid red blooms.

Every year this peony gets better and seemingly overnight, the puny-looking bare branches are suddenly fleshed out with a tremendous profusion of leaves. The bush is dense, forming a 4 ft. mound. Our plant resides at the top of one of the terrace beds in back where it gets some morning sun and dappled sun (mostly shade) for the remainder of the day. 

We have many peonies in the garden and they all came from Adelman Peony Gardens in Salem, Oregon. It is worth a drive just to see their beautiful display garden in May.






Text and photos by Phillip Oliver, Dirt Therapy
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Comments

  1. Kris PetersonApril 27, 2025 at 7:03 PM

    That's a looker! I'm SO envious!

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  2. AnonymousApril 29, 2025 at 7:08 AM

    Stunning, with just a touch of white... Wow!
    Chavli

    ReplyDelete
  3. tz_gardenMay 1, 2025 at 8:24 AM

    Oh, it is absolute perfection. I love that you placed it by the red branched (maple?) pot.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Visit VashonMay 11, 2025 at 10:07 AM

    Wow, lovely

    ReplyDelete

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