On Peony Watch

So the most pleasant surprise by far with the new house was the garden that came with it. Turns out Susan, the former owner, is the president of her garden club in VA and boy can you tell. What I thought were weeds in the winter (when we initially looked at the house) were actually glorious flowers just waiting to burst forth with the first days of spring.

And in this beautiful garden, no doubt the peonies have been the most exciting part! When we moved in in April, the buds were just beginning to show. And by May, the buds had grown large and were just waiting to explode with blooms.

I was officially on peony watch, and I have to admit- a little bit obsessed. Because no joke- I counted 22 mature plants in bloom! Peonies have always been my favorite flower, and I always allow myself one beautiful bouquet from Whole Foods each Spring. So watching all these plants come to life in my front yard was honestly about more than I could handle.

Then the first weekend in May, we got our first bloom!

 

 This was our first bouquet- perhaps the prettiest one I have ever seen. And the smell was amazing!

 

Turns out there were many varieties in the yard...some that I had never seen before.

I got Addie into the peony-obsession too because they were almost the size of her head. She also liked to tease me by pronouncing them like "panties". :) 

I started making bouquets for friends, the girls' teachers, neighbors, etc. I could not leave these beauties in the yard- they were just too pretty not to share.

 

 For about two glorious weeks, the peonies kept coming. And they seriously brought me great joy...

 

 

 

and then they were finished. A short-lived, but impressive flower. Best surprise of May no doubt. Can't wait for next year!