Thursday, June 25, 2009

Peonies In Bloom: Top Brass White Peony

*NB June 2010 Peonies in Bloom !

The peonies are in bloom at the gardens, and are making quite a show! And while some of the rhododendrons are still blooming in several beds, it's so nice to see the Brueckner Gardens flower show continue into the summer!

Planting Peonies Late Fall 2008

All the hard work of the past year -- by volunteers and city staff -- is now starting to be rewarded with a good show that is attracting more and more visitors, as well as painters and photographers.

And brides! Wedding pictures don't mean backgrounds of the fabulous rhodos and azaleas (not everyone can arrange to be married when the rhodos are in bloom). Now brides and grooms can choose from backgrounds of peonies, roses and lilies, as well as the annual beds.

Peonies in Bloom - Top Brass (White)

This picture of the white Top Brass peonies frame two of the volunteers working at the rose garden (links below or search label 'rose').

Top Brass Peony Close Up

Top Brass shows off its feathery tutu and neck ruffle, and slim torso! The peony bed is adjacent to the Waterfront Trail along the west bank of the creek near the garden/ washroom building.

Staff has placed extra mulch on the areas (2) in the peony bed where it is safe to step. Please use only these mulched access points to get closer to these beautiful flowers. They are delicate, and cannot differentiate between being inadvertantly or purposely stepped on. Doesn't matter how sorry you are, they are still broken.

Artists in the Peonies

As gratifying as seeing our hard work come to fruition in the beautiful beds is seeing more and more people using the gardens. And it's especially gratifying to see artists capturing the beauty in a variety of mediums.

I think artists appreciate the greater variety of flower beds, too, for one of them told a volunteer that, "It's great to have something besides rhododendrons to draw."

Hole in the Peony Bed - AWOL or Pilfered ?

Sadly, not everyone is content to capture the beauty of blooming peonies on canvas and film. Some of the beauties have gone missing, leaving a hole in the peony garden, and a hole in our hearts.

Why would someone appropriate plants meant to be enjoyed by all visitors? How incredibly selfish. If you happen to see someone in the garden beds moving plants around, stop and ask them how long they've been volunteering, and how you can volunteer too. True volunteers will have information for you; Pilferers will not.

More holes in the peony bed

Be aware that interferring with anything in our city parks is contrary to this by-law, which states, in part:
THE CORPORATION OF THE CITY OF MISSISSAUGA PARKS BY-LAW 186-05

15. While in a park, no person shall:

Plant, prune, remove or damage any plant, shrub, flower, flowerbed, bush, sod,
grass, or any other vegetation unless otherwise authorized by the Commissioner;
or (133-06)
This is our park, for all of us to enjoy. Please come by and see the wonderful flower beds, and help keep them that way!

Rose Garden pics: What's in Bloom and Eglantyne, Abraham Darby, Scentimental

Peony info: Wikipedia Peony

Update July 4 2009: The lush and lovely peony blooms are but a memory for the most part for this season, so mark your calendars for next June, and plan to come visit the BRG peonies!