You sound as if you have a similar climate to mine @Helix, my mountain climate does get very cold -8, in winter, hot summers, heavy rainstorms... are you in the UK? That’s reassuring that you can grow them in your conditions, wherever you are...
@amancalledgeorge that’s also reassuring about pot size, thanks, makes it more feasible to move the pot if it gets too hot, if it doesn’t have to be ginormous! I could even pop in a pot-grown dahlia afterwards if I went the pot route.
I appreciate what everyone is saying re fleeting beauty, but it is to fill an early gap left by the departure of my red roses, a bit like spring-flowering red camellias, which was my other thought. They would definitely have to be in pots because of my alkaline soil.
Mountainous Northern Catalunya, Spain. Hot summers, cold winters.
Thanks for the photos, @amancalledgeorge, beautiful! If I can get hold of a few (always an issue here) I think it might be worth a punt... nothing ventured...
Mountainous Northern Catalunya, Spain. Hot summers, cold winters.
My peony was planted 3 years ago (as a well developed plant from a large pot, not a young cutting) and every year there has been just one flower per season. I don’t blame it all on the plant as the soil is not very nutritious and very dry, but I’m still thinking of giving it last chance next year and remove it as it takes space and really is not giving that much in return. Our neighbour has one of those big, mature peonies in his front yard, that give the most spectacular display of purple flowers. So at least I know I can’t blame the climate. 🙄
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@amancalledgeorge that’s also reassuring about pot size, thanks, makes it more feasible to move the pot if it gets too hot, if it doesn’t have to be ginormous! I could even pop in a pot-grown dahlia afterwards if I went the pot route.
I appreciate what everyone is saying re fleeting beauty, but it is to fill an early gap left by the departure of my red roses, a bit like spring-flowering red camellias, which was my other thought. They would definitely have to be in pots because of my alkaline soil.
Our neighbour has one of those big, mature peonies in his front yard, that give the most spectacular display of purple flowers. So at least I know I can’t blame the climate. 🙄