724 P^EONIA. 



THE ENGLISH FLOWER GARDEN. 



P^ONIA. 



deep red blossoms. There is a double 

 form of this species, and a variety called 

 latifolia with broader foliage, and one of 

 the earliest of Pasonies to flower. Then 

 there is P. lobata, with fine single flowers 

 of salmon-scarlet ; and P. corallina, a 

 native plant, with single reddish-purple 

 flowers followed by handsome pods of 

 red and black seeds. But the most 

 distinct of all is P. Wittmanniana, with 

 single pale yellow flowers early in May. 

 Until recently this was the only known 

 Pasony with yellow flowers, and the new 

 P. lutea belongs rather to the Tree 

 Pasonies. These as well as the varieties 

 are perfectly hardy, and need no pro- 

 tection against frost, however severe. 



CULTURE. A good moist loam, en- 

 riched with cow manure, is the soil best 

 suited to them. They can be planted at 

 any time, but from October to April is 

 the best time. Have the ground well 

 prepared by manuring and by trenching 

 to the depth of about 3 ft., and plant them 

 at least 4 ft. apart in each direction. 

 They will not flower well before the 

 second or third year. An open position 

 renders them robust, and they need not 

 be shaded from the sun until they flower, 

 when some slight shade will prolong and 

 preserve their delicate tints. As soon as 

 the buds are well formed, water the plants 

 judiciously now and then with liquid 

 manure. When the tufts have become 

 very strong, and have impoverished the 

 soil, separate and transplant them in 

 fresh ground. 



POSITION. Most gardens contain spots 

 so shaded that few plants will thrive in 

 them. In such places Pasonies would 

 grow luxuriantly ; and their colour would 

 often be more intense, while they would 

 last much longer than if fully exposed to 

 the sun. Where distant effect is sought, 

 no plants answer so well, and when 

 planted on either side of a Grass walk, 

 their effect is admirable, especially in 

 the morning and about sunset ; when 

 planted in masses, they are invaluable 

 for lighting up sombre nooks. If grown 

 only for their flowers or their buds, or for 

 the purpose of increasing them, they may 

 be placed in nursery lines in some rich 

 part of the kitchen-garden. 



Besides being used for the garden 

 proper, there are few plants more fitted 

 for the wild garden ; and the most 

 brilliant and one of the boldest things 

 in wild gardening is a group of scarlet 

 Pasonies, or any of the hardy species 

 in meadow Grass, in early summer. 

 This may be managed so that they come 

 into the garden landscape, so to say, and 



are seen at a considerable distance from 

 certain points of view. So placed, they 

 could not be in the way when out of 

 flower, as they sometimes are in the 

 mixed border. 



P. Moutan (Tree Pceony). Another 

 noble plant of great beauty for its varie- 

 ties, which are very numerous. It is 

 hardy, and, when properly planted, re- 

 quires little care ; precious for borders 

 and for lawns. Its blossoms are gorgeous 

 in early spring, and its young leaves 

 assume every shade of colour, from violet- 

 crimson to green. Tree Paeonies are not 

 particular as to soil or position ; they 

 grow as well in sand as in strong loam, 

 though they prefer a good strong soil. 

 If the soil is too sandy, decomposed 

 manure and loam, or if too clayey, manure, 

 sand, and similar materials should be 

 added. Moutans are gross feeders, and 

 amply repay occasional top-dressings of 

 half-decomposed cow manure. Of the 

 scarcer and better varieties nurserymen 

 generally send out plants one or two 

 years old, which are grafted on the roots 

 of P. edulis. In a chosen place, dig out 

 a pit \\ ft. deep and 2 ft. in diameter ; 

 put in a few inches of half-decomposed 

 cow manure, and mix it well with the 

 soil, insert the plants with the grafts 

 buried a few inches under the ground, 

 where they will, in time, throw out roots 

 of their own. The plants do not flower 

 well until the third year, but afterwards 

 blossom freely. Being of slow growth, 

 they are not often increased by division, 

 but by grafting upon the roots of the 

 herbaceous varieties. This grafting is 

 performed in August. The grafts are 

 placed in frames, where they unite, and 

 in the succeeding year are transplanted 

 in rows in the nursery. 



September and October are the best 

 months for planting Moutans, but if 

 planted from pots they may be put out in 

 spring, when all danger of frost is over. 

 Good plants set in autumn produce many 

 flowers the second or third year after 

 planting, and soon become a most 

 attractive feature of the garden. They 

 flower the first of any Pasonies, and 

 put forth their blooms early in May. 

 Until the second half of this century only 

 white, rose, salmon, and lilac sorts were 

 known ; and we are indebted to Mr. 

 Fortune for his Chinese varieties, most 

 of which have scarlet, violet, and magenta 

 flowers. Von Siebold, too, introduced a 

 number of Japanese varieties, which, 

 however, form a different race, and are 

 mostly single or semi-double. The 

 following list contains the best varieties 



