Peonies don't generally do well in the South. And Peonies don't generally liked to be moved. I'd leave them where they are. There are a lot of lovely flowers in your brother's new climate that he can discover and grow to love just as much as he loves Peonies.

My own brother lives on the campus of a private high school that provides housing to its teachers as part of their compensation package. Shortly after my brother moved into his on campus home, the former teacher tenant showed up with a backhoe, intending on digging up a Japanese Maple the former teacher tenant had planted eight years before.

Personally, I think this habit of canibalizing a garden is both in bad taste and thoughtless. Our relationship to plants is one of guardian and steward rather than "owner." To haul a well rooted and healthy plant out of an ideal spot simply to suit our own self intersts seems inappropriate.

Dear Westhighlandblue,

I hope you breed the terrier babies that you use for your name. I think they are so cute.

The teacher may have had an agreement with the school when it was put in that the tree could go with him and someone forgot to tell anyonelse. My hubby has instructions that when I die or we are unable to take care of ourselves that as many garden groups and plant friends will be notified and asked to come dig what they want. Too many times I have seen major changes each time a property was purchased. An example is my house built in the 50's. The first owner had grass, a few bushes and little else. When that person moved out three years later a true plant person that loved trees and bushes moved in. I don't know how many trees and shrubs were planted but in a 190X200 lot the next owner proudly told us that he had cut down more than 90 plants to get rid of the mess. He installed traditional yews as foundation planting and left six trees. I am replanting with many different things. Alas because of the various ice and wind storms I am having to cut down two of the six that were left, a apple and a sweet gum. When I leave the people will purchase becaused they love the plantings but will immediately take out everything and plant grass just as my next door neighbor has.

I appreciate and like your idea that we are stewards of the plants but too many people think otherwise.

The best solution is to dig part of the clump and leave the rest. Some peonies will work in parts of the South. He should dig them before his place is transferred to another owner or legally in some states he looses all rights to dig them even if it is in the sale contract.

I keep several dogs of different breeds. My house was ruled by a Westie, named Kermit, for seventeen years. He's gone now but when one or two more of our big dogs join him, I will certainly get another Westie.

You are of course right, subsequent home owners do make radical changes to landscaping and there is no way to insure that the peonies at issue will be allowed to remain where they are currently happy and well rooted.

I had my DH take a chain saw to 7 arborvitae that sat like sentinels along the front of our house, this last weekend. I personally removed the yew, last summer. I actually found a peony growing under one of the arborvitae. I left the rhododendron and azaleas in place. And I am replacing the yew and arborvitae with Bayberry, Winterberry, and Viburnum, Highbush Cranberry. In addition I am installing a Serviceberry and Fringeberry. Imagine if in 15 years someone moves in and tears out all my natives to replace them with yew and arborvitae!

flowergirl70ks

Generally I-20 (which runs through Shreveport) is considered to be the southern range for peonies. However, I grew up within 3 miles of I-20 and my mother, who has the greenest thumb of anyone I know, has tried peonies many times. Every time she has tried them they have failed. Just not enough winter for the buds to break in spring and that coupled with hot dry summers is just too much for the herbaceous peony.

I do know that people there do successfully grow tree peonies. But I know your nephew was thinking of moving his own peonies.

I am with westhighlandblue on this one. I bet he will really enjoying growing camellias and leaving amaryllis in the ground year round.

LP

thanks for the comments, there is sentimental value to these peonies, as I gave most of them to him as gifts. Even if he digs them up he is leaving a lovely flower garden, as he is a true gardener.

Lousiana has hot DRY summers?? Honestly, I'm not trying to be rude. I thought all of LA was really humid. As to being a steward to plants, I must admit that I am guilty of digging up and replacing many things that I planted myself. For no good reason other than I live in a townhouse with a tiny space to garden in and want to try new things. Sometimes it's plants that are too agressive, some I regret, I'd be happy to have them now. Live and learn right?