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So far it has been an excellent year for peony blossoms here at Cricket Hill Garden. While the rain last weekend hastened the end of the Chinese tree peonies, the Japanese and American tree peonies are still going strong, with the hybrid herbaceous and intersectional peonies just beginning. We are still waiting for the big show of lactiflora type herbaceous peonies to open. In the meantime, we hope that you enjoy these pictures from our garden during a time of bloom transition.

‘Late Blue’ This Chinese tree peony certainly lives up to its name. It is one of the last to open in the garden.

‘Color of Eternity‘ 万世生色 Wan Shi Sheng Se This blossom was truly massive, it may indeed have a ‘thousand petals’ as this flower form is named.

‘Shining Black Jade’ 墨玉生辉 Mo Yu Sheng Hui This is another later blooming ‘black’ Chinese tree peony which originates from Heze in Shandong Province.

‘Pea Green’ 豆绿 Dou Lu Brought inside for a studio portrait. Say what you will about this flower, but it really is green.

‘High Noon’ blooms well for us even in moderate shade.

‘Zeus’ This Daphnis hybrid tree peony looks very much like its more famous cousin ‘Leda.’

‘Antigone,’ another Daphnis tree peony.

‘Black Panther’ a Saunders tree peony in the foreground and ‘Golden Crown’ 黄冠 Oukan a new Japanese yellow tree peony in the background.

Our intersectional ‘itoh’ peonies are just beginning.

‘First Arrival’ is one of our earliest blooming Roger Anderson intersectional peonies.

‘Court Jester‘ is always a favorite with visitors to our garden.

‘Empress Wu’s Yellow‘ looks magnificent right now.

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The tree peonies are now at peak bloom at Cricket Hill Garden. We hope that you enjoy the pictures!

‘Black Tornado‘ Chinese rockii tree peony.

‘Blue Jade in Three Colors‘ Chinese rockii tree peony.

‘Capital Red’ This is really massive blossom.

‘Coiled Dragon in the Mist‘ Chinese tree peony

‘Color of Eternity‘

‘Early Scout‘ Hybrid herbaceous peony blooms with the tree peonies.

‘Floral Rivalry’ Japanese tree peony

‘Fushakin’ Japanese tree peony

‘Glorious Journey’ Chinese tree peony

‘Great Peace Red’

Herbaceous peony buds looking good.

‘Hibiscus with a Pink Complexion‘ Chinese tree peony

‘Hubei Blue’

‘Island Brocade‘ Japanese tree peony

‘Jade Crown with a Blue Belt’ Chinese rockii tree peony

‘King of Flowers‘ Japanese tree peony

‘Leda’ American tree peony

‘Luoyang Red‘ and garlic.

‘Magical Red Haired Woman’ Chinese rockii tree peony

Mature rockii tree peony.

‘White Swallow Tail Flecked with Gold’

Buster surveys his domain.

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Our first tree peonies opened last week, and everyday since has brought a few more glorious blossoms unfurling. Thus far this spring has been ideal for the peony blossoms, with mild days and cool nights. Its shaping up to be a great year for peonies. If you are in the area, and have a free moment, we would love to see you in the garden for our 24th annual Peony Festival. But most of all, wherever you are, we wish that you have time to enjoy these glorious spring days.

We hope that you will enjoy the photos of Chinese tree peonies now blooming at Cricket Hill Garden.

‘5th Wife’ This is an ostii– type Chinese tree peony.

‘Apple Gorgeous‘ 苹实艳 ping shi yan

‘Apple Gorgeous’ shrub, flowers blooming in both single and semi-double form.

‘Ball of Charm and Beauty’ 锦绣球 jin xiu qiu

‘Beauties Bathing in the Spring’

‘Beauties Bathing in the Spring.’ Perhaps a day away from full bloom. This was one of the first tree peonies we planted in the early 1990s.

‘Big Deep Purple’ 大棕紫 Da Zong Zi

‘Blue Sea Green Waves’ 蓝海绿波 Lan Hai Lv Bo

‘Branches Conceal Red’ This is a strange cultivar, with small flowers hidden within the foliage.

‘Smiling in the Thicket’ 苁中笑 cong zhong xiao Another very aptly named variety which reflects a certain Chinese esthetic where the flowers flirt from behind the foliage.

‘Capital Red’ 首案红 Shou An Hong. This massive flower takes almost a week to open fully.

‘Golden Lotus’ 金莲 jin lian

‘Great Winged Butterfly’ 大叶蝴蝶 da ye hu die

‘Hu Bei Blue’ 湖蓝 Hu Lan This is a cultivar from southwest China which we are now propagating, In China, it is one variety which is grown in pots because of its rather shallow root system.

‘Like a Colored Painting’ 彩绘 cai hui

‘Luster of Jade’ 景玉 Jing Yu

‘Peach Blossom Complexion’ 粉面桃花 fen mian tao hua

‘Red from Seed’ 种生红  Zhong Sheng Hong

‘Sichuan Peach Blossom’ 川桃花 chuan tao hua

‘White Screen Reflects a Blue Jewel’ 白壁蓝锻 bai bi lan duan

‘White Screen Reflects a Blue Jewel’ is generally the first rockii- type tree peony to bloom in our garden.

The earliest herbaceous peonies are just beginning to open.

‘Salmon Dream’

A very interesting new hybrid, a yellow-green herbaceous peony we are watching.

Some other companion plants blooming in the garden this week:

‘Peking Lilac’ Syringa pekinensis

‘Father Hugo’s Rose’ rosa xanthina

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2014 will mark our 25th year of growing peonies here at Cricket Hill Garden. It started with just a few plants and a few friends and now we see more than 2000 visitors each year. Our expanding display collection of 400+ named cultivars of peonies blooms in May to mid-June.

In 2013, with the cold spring weather we have had,  our bloom began about May 10th. Every year is a little different due to the weather. We can count on about five to six weeks of peony bloom. The Chinese tree peonies bloom first, followed by the Japanese tree peonies, and then American varieties. You will not be disappointed; if you want to see tree peonies in bloom,  come to see us in May.

A trip to our garden/nursery will delight you. Our 7-acre garden is set in a larger terraced woodland of northwestern Connecticut. Visit us for a great day trip from all parts of Connecticut, western and central Massachusetts, most parts of New York and New Jersey. Come see the garden and bring home a plant of your own from our selection of potted peonies.

Celebrating Chinese Tree Peonies – begins the week of May 1st, 2014. See the Glorious Ladies of China in bloom, a rare sight to behold! Open Tuesday-Sunday, 10am-4pm. Short, guided garden walks Saturday and Sunday, at 1 pm explains growing peonies and answers your questions.

Celebrating Mother’s Day – Week of May 11th to the 17th  – Get Mom a peony for a lasting gift of love and beauty. We invite you to stroll the garden or sit on a bench and enjoy the flowers. Enjoy music in the garden, Sunday afternoon, May 11th, 1:00 to 3:00. Short, guided garden walks Saturday and Sunday, at 1 pm explains growing peonies and answers your questions.

May 11th to the 25th
This is the time to see Chinese & Japanese tree peonies in bloom. American tree peonies are in full glory, such as beautiful yellow High Noon and other American tree peonies hybrids in the later part of this period. Early blooming herbaceous peonies are open and intersectional peonies should all be showing. 

Bloom Week-May 25th to the 31st
We are open on Memorial Day Monday, an exception to our regular closed Mondays. See plant specials tagged in our potted area, and get a new peony for your garden. Herbaceous peonies and intersectionals will move toward their peak. Late season tree peonies will still be showing, provided the weather is cool.

End of May to mid-June
Herbaceous and intersectional peonies continue in bloom.

The garden will be open during our regular hours of Tuesday-Sunday, 10 am to 4 pm for the late herbaceous blooms until Sunday, June 9th. Some years we do see flowers as late as mid-June.

For directions to Cricket Hill Garden click here.

We are located in Thomaston, CT, in the foothills of the Berkshires, northwestern Connecticut. It’s a lovely area to visit for an afternoon, a day or a weekend. For where to stay and other places to see near us, go to www.litchfieldhills.com

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