Paeonia lactiflora 'Lotus Queen'

#wildlifewednesday #exoskeletal

#anticipation

24 buds so far!!! #anticipation

Wow!!

#exoskeletal #wildlifewednesday

I love our ant friends!

Oh no, I hope they're not feasting on your peony bud 😳

The superstition @midnightgardener is that the buds will never bloom until the ants have danced on them for a certain length of time. I believe in fact they are grazing on the nectar oozing out of the buds, which are never harmed by all this attention

Finally! Buds are emerging on the divisions I don't remember planting! #anticipation

Beautiful bud, I can't wait to see it in bloom. I've got 4 buds on my Bowl of Beauty 🩷🩷🩷🩷

#newgrowth

These flowers have the merest whiff of pink just before they open...

Pretty 😊

They are very elegant!! 🤍💖🤍

Not only do I not remember planting this here, but there's too much shade for it to bloom. And yet... #anticipation

Lovely surprise then 😀

#exoskeletal

I don't even remember planting a division in this spot, but it has more #flowerbuds than the parent peony! #exoskeletal attendants aplenty

#foliagefriday

So many shoots this year! I hope that translates into lots of #fragrant flowers...

🤞🤞

#firstgreen -- or maybe I mean red

Tiny pollinator at a deluxe pollen all-you-can-eat buffet #wildlifewednesday

#fragrant

Beautiful!!🥰🥰🥰

So pretty 🤍💛🤍

First bud to open! #fragrant

Are those buds emerging?

Exciting! Love the tinged edges of the leaves too 🤩

Once again this year I had a single bloom each on my two largest divisions. Three others were without blooms. This one, the original plant, had the faintest undertone of pink in the petals. So very #fragrant #worththewait