have singles huge cups like Water-lilies, filled with a sheaf of June, 

 golden stamens lovely semi-doubles, and full doubles ; some Culture of 

 with high centres under which the guard (outer) petals almost Peonies 

 disappear, some like gigantic Anemones, some with a bunch of 

 tassel-like stamens, others with centre petals like silky white or 

 pink feathers, amongst which soft lights and shadows play with 

 delicate grace. 



Moutan Peonies which flower earlier have been described 

 in the May notes, so that here we are concerned only with 

 the June-flowering herbaceous Peonies. These are hardy as 

 any Dock or Dandelion, and are handsome plants in the border 

 from the time their carmine shoots push up from the crowns in 

 March till the strong foliage fades through deep green-red and 

 orange-russet to its last shrivelled brown in November. Here 

 in East Kent they thrive splendidly, either in full sun or partial 

 shade, and seem to revel in the disintegrated chalk soil of the 

 locality. I set new plants in October or November, if possible, 

 and prepare their resting place by digging a hole from two to 

 three feet in depth and of about similar diameter: at the 

 bottom is laid a layer of three or four inches of well rotted 

 stable manure, then six inches of soil (good loam) and then 

 further alternate layers of manure and soil till the surface level 

 is reached. The plant should then be placed in the middle of 

 this prepared plot and the crown covered with about an inch of 

 soil. There it should remain undisturbed for many years, for 

 Peonies resent being moved and if subjected to this indignity 

 revenge themselves by refusing to flower, or flowering badly, for 

 a year or two. They are gross feeders and enjoy three or four 

 good draughts of liquid manure during the growing stage, 

 especially when just coming into bloom. I also give them a 



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