When I was growing up we had a large rose bush near a corner of our house. It was very thorny and they were long enough to catch me if I cut too near trying to elude my chasing brothers.
However, my parents loved it as it bloomed vibrant yellow around June 1, their wedding anniversary. It was called Harison’s rose and was the first yellow rose developed in the 1830s that was not red or pink.
It only blooms once for a week or so and then resorts to petals and thorns. But it is a rose that swept the nation, travelled with pioneers to grow throughout the west, and to the south to become the favorite song “The Yellow Rose of Texas.”
I liked the flowers very much and waited for them to unfold and cover the bush. Later when I connected with the thorns, mother had a good supply of iodine.
Saying goodbye to May and welcoming the warm, bright days of June, I find that the peonies are almost finished blooming, which seems early for them. Peonies come in colors of pink, white, bright fuchsia and more, with a sweet perfume that has captured gardeners’ attention for hundreds of years.
Peonies can be planted in the spring, but are best planted in the fall. They may not bloom the first spring or even the second, yet they are soaking up all the nutrients they need to produce a big flower for you.
Unlike the Harison rose that liked to move, peonies like to stay in one place. That is why you find them near old buildings or fences.
To rescue them or move them to another place in your yard, have a sharp shovel and a strong back. The roots are tough and they need to have three eyes (buds) on them and be planted only two inches below the ground level, in a sunny spot. Water well and then you can pretty much ignore them.
In the fall the leaves sometimes take on a beautiful red shade. After a hard freeze they should be cut down to ground level and given a little protection, perhaps evergreen boughs or straw.
The flowering time for peonies is much too short. However if you would like to have them later in the summer, there is a method to try.
Look for buds not ready to open, just round and soft. Cut a long stem on each, roll up in a paper towel and pop it in a large plastic bag (gallon size). Put them in the bottom drawer of the refrigerator and just forget them for a couple months.
When you take them out, cut a couple inches off the stems and slip them into a vase of cool, fresh water. They may start to open within hours. And here’s a hint to keep them longer. Put the vase in the refrigerator at night. When you bring them out no need to put in the sun, just enjoy, then let them rest again, while you sleep.
Note: The blue moon will be out Sunday morning. Blue moons only occur every two and a half years, hence the saying.
Judy Terry is a longtime garden columnist for the Iowa City Press-Citizen.
This article originally appeared on Iowa City Press-Citizen: Garden Walks with Judy: Yellow roses, pink peonies, blue moon | Column
Reporting by Judy Terry, Special to the Press-Citizen / Iowa City Press-Citizen
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