Pictured above is Itoh peony Morning Lilac. It remained modest in growth and appearance during the previous four years, and only this season has it merited the attribute “spectacular.” For this impatient gardener, four years was a very long time to wait.
Itoh Peonies are sturdy perennials that are impossible to dig up once planted; consequently, they defy multiplication by root splitting. Industrial growers in Quebec employ tissue culture propagation to create new plants. Then the seedlings are sold to growers who nurture them until they are ready for market.
The gestation time from initial lab procreation to spectacular flowering takes years. Perhaps that accounts for the extremely high price tag for mature Itohs at both wholesale and retail sellers.
Itoh Peonies are oversized plants
The Itoh family of peonies produces theatrically bold, oversized flower heads that do not require staking even in heavy rain. It feels like a gift from the gods that a plant that blooms in vivid tropical colors should survive so successfully in our cold climate.
Meanwhile, a magnificent garden design project is underway in Montreal. I once created flamboyant flowerbeds that blend English-style perennials with bold colored winter-compatible roses; a private park is being expanded.
The owner has allocated a generous budget that permits me to source any plants I deem appropriate. His love of flower gardens inspires me to plant Itoh peonies. Alas, they are not easy to find.
Two of the wholesalers upon whom I rely no longer carry them. A local upscale nursery retailer stocks a meager variety in small sizes that will not bloom for another two years. Growers situated in rural parts of the country sell them ready to bloom, but I must lose a day of designing and planting to source them.
Now that Itohs are just beginning to bloom, I have a strong desire to share the joy of this dramatic perennial with the client, for he is as passionate about flowers as I am. Perhaps I will give up the rest that my body sorely needs this weekend to take a long drive out to the countryside where Itohs are available. Such a client deserves the extra service. The body will have to wait.
