peonies on east side??

11 years ago

our landscape designer has our peonies placed in raised planters on the east side, yes they will get lots of morning sun but is this enough? I have always had mine on the south side of my homes? please advise for zone 3 sunshine :-)

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Ginny McLean_Petite_Garden

11 years ago

I guess a lot depends then on how much actual sun they do get, as in hours of full sun. Time will tell.

I have 4 who are on the west side of a fence and don't get sun till noonish. The two early blooming varieties do pretty good there but they are known for being rather robust plants anyway. The other 2, not so grea and they are in the most sun that spot has to offer.

I also have about 10 that only get sun till about 1 pm and are then shaded by a large tree. They are not as strong on avarage but again, a couple of them are very prolific bloomers and robust plants by nature. Many things to consider so, generally speaking, as I"ve said, the more sun, the better.

Ginny

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Comments (12)

northspruce
11 years ago
They'll be fine. I have peonies in many different aspects for sun and they all do well.
donna_in_sask
11 years ago
Bear in mind that although they will survive, the peonies may not bloom as prolifically as if they were in full sun. I have a one in part shade and it has remained small compared to the monsters I have up on a sunny slope.
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Ginny McLean_Petite_Garden
11 years ago
I agree with Donna. I have many peonies and I do mean many. The ones that only get east or west sun do not thrive near as well as the full sun plants nor do they bloom well. Often the buds form but do not open. Early blooming varieties do a bit better on the east side of the house. :)

Ginny
northspruce
11 years ago
Is it exactly east by the compass? My street runs northeast-southwest and lots of houses have peonies on east-southeast walls that bloom massively.

My friend had peonies on the north wall in a raised bed and I thought it was nuts but they bloomed fine. She had them growing with hostas. I also have two Festiva Maximas growing in shade under a basswood tree, in a patch of goutweed, and they bloom. This is my only personal experience. Maybe the older varieties don't care as much as newer ones.
crazyone
Original Author
11 years ago
it is direct east... darn this was my concerns.. hmmm what to do.. they are old fashioned traditional type, not sure of variety
marciaz3 Tropical 3 Northwestern Ontario
11 years ago
My peony 'Mollis' is on the east side and does quite well there. It's very early blooming and at this time still gets plenty of sun because the lilac that would normally shade it is not fully leafed out. I planted another peony near it (still can't remember which one that is), and it has been very slow to develop. I'm thinking now that i should move it, and i have a spot for it where it would get full sun. Should i move it in the fall?
User
11 years ago
I have peonies on my east side and they bloom a bit late but do well not only that i just transplanted one from a zone 7 on the east side thought for sure it was dead but it is doing better than the older ones go figure.
Ginny McLean_Petite_Garden
11 years ago
Marcia, if it has a well established root system and you move it with a lot of dirt around the roots, you can move it now. It may not bloom this season though. They are not too happy about being moved when they are using energy to develop roots and leaf out/bloom. If it's no big issue, I'd wait till the fall. :)

CL, peonies like the cooler temps of a zone 2 or 3. IMO, they actually do much better in our frozen north. :)

Ginny
marciaz3 Tropical 3 Northwestern Ontario
11 years ago
It's not a big deal, so i'll wait till the fall. It hasn't bloomed yet, but has been in the ground for a few years. I'm trying to think of the name, and Raspberry Sundae comes to mind, but i'm not sure. Should keep better records!
crazyone
Original Author
11 years ago
I bet peonies are hard to trade root cuttings via mail? Any one around Calgary have any to share with a new home on the range gal? I just have old fashioned pink but willing to share once I finally get them ready to plant.
Ginny McLean_Petite_Garden
11 years ago
I have an old Festiva Maxima that has been here for 65 years and a red one if it didn't get choked out last year. I think it is Kansas or Cincinnati. I'll have to see what is growing really big this year as many of mine are only a couple of years old. Fall is peony planting time unless a person is getting them from the mail order greenhouses or potted. Maybe check back in the fall. My daughter is in Calgary so I am down often.

Marcia, I have 3 Raspberry Sundae. If she blooms in an east garden, her blooms don't fade as much and she is so pretty. But I am a bit of a peony freak. :)

Ginny