If I could only grow one thing

[Garden Group]

This discussion came up at the Tweed Horticultural Society meeting and I thought it might be a good one to post here. If you could grow only one plant, scrub or tree what would it be and why?

I had no hesitation on that one. I would have a peony.These are from my garden a few summers ago. Peonies are the perfect perennial, long lived, relatively maintenance free, gorgeous flowers, and even after the flowers are gone, they have a beautiful leaf structure that stays lovely and green until fall.

Thank heavens I don't have to choose though.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

We had a discussion about peonies last year, and i posted some photos of mine, which are in the same color range as yours. I had learned through this group  that they don't have these beauties out in the Western U.S.!

I agree, I would sorely miss my peonies, even though they only bloom for such a short time.

But if I could only grow one thing, I'd be hard pressed to choose between peonies and lilacs. The lilacs have such a wonderful fragrance and I'm partial to purple! Will have to get some photos.

Last year's peony discussion with photos:

This Is For You California Girls

[Camilla and Darwin]

Boo!  :-( 

 

If Peonies could grow here, I might just try to get rid of my black thumb in some way. They are my favorite. :-)

[Gail+Kathleen,(Sydney+Olivia:)]

I'm with you Karen....Lilacs are my favorite of all flowers (both the lavender color and great fragrance).  I always look for colognes with lilac notes but they are hard to find.  We had a huge lilac bush in our yard when I was growing up.  The first week of May is when the flowers usually bloom (of course, depending on the Spring weather).  We don't have one now since we don't have the right spot on our property with full sun.  I always want to pick some from someone else's bush (I think it's called stealing:) just to be able to smell them all day long.

We had lots of peonies in our previous home.  Once we cut some to make a beautiful bouquet and WOW, all of the ants started emerging from the peonies all over our table.  We found out that peonies attract ants and they hide way inside the flower.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Yep, you have to shake them very thoroughly and check for ants before you bring them indoors, lol!

[Nina, Phil, Harlow & Lacey]

Hydrangeas are my pick.  They bloom all summer and hold up to the long, hot and humid Georgia summers.  They also come in a wide variety... Oak leaf, mop heads, climbing, variegated and a new one (at least to me) called Shooting Star.

[Adina P]

A perfect lawn.  Since that is something only a genie can grant me and I don't know where to find this genie... then tomatoes.

[F, Calla & Luca]

Oh Adina, I cannot even think how far down the list a perfect lawn would be, I'd even miss the weeds like violets that grow in the lawn. For me it has to be flowers.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Ditto!

Besides, even if you could grow a perfect lawn, you'd have to get rid of the doodles to keep it! Doodles VS grass, no contest.

Just finished this year's sod replacement. One 30 by 12 foot swath down the middle of the yard where JD plays ball. Talk about a money pit!

[F, Calla & Luca]

Ditto, ditto. But even without doodles perfect lawns are just too antonature, chemicals are not always our friends.

[Jennifer,Chloe & Myla]

Hydrangeas for sure all colors! Also a yard that had grass growing so doodles can use it! Dh is patching brown spots left from winter potties and he has mud patches everywhere. The spring has been so cool that it's not growing in!! This leaves me with having to walk both doodles at once to get out there!! Not a fun task!

[Lori]

The peonies are spectacular...correct me if I am wrong, but I think if you cut them to bring in they don't last very long...I only got like 2-3 days out of them. I have some pink ones in my garden & it seems that when they bloom it always rains SO HARD & it ruins them : ( I sure do love them though! One year my peony had 22 blooms on it!

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

My cut peonies usually last more than a week in vases. And if you cut them before they're completely open, they continue to open in the vases after being cut.

You might try cutting them earlier.