Wednesday, April 19, 2006

Shit is popping up all over the place—or—somebody get me a botany book, I have plants I need to identify.

Ok, so when I started to write that title, I actually wrote pooping instead of popping. Hahaha...see Tim, I am a funny, funny bitch.

Seriously though, spring has finally decided to show it's face around Toledo and there are all kinds of plants popping up in our yard that were a mystery to me when we bought the house in December. I've already bored you with a variety of plant material pushing it's way through the wonderful loamy soil in our yard. But...fear not my blog friends I have a new and glorious find to tell you about. Hold on to your seats.

Along the side of our garage sits three yews. When we bought the house they were bushy and growing down to ground level. In my opinion, this looked like shit. So, as soon as we got a nice day, I got out my trusty Felcos and started hacking away at the growth on the bottom. I lifted those bitches up like 2+ feet off the ground and they look fabulously bonzaied now. That trim job let in alot of much needed light to the life just below the surface of the soil.

The growth started out slow and peaked my interest. What were these little red buds coming up? I tried to dig it up but the root system was massive so I decided to just let it grow and see what would happen. It just keeps getting bigger. Now it looks like rubarb stalks with pot leaves growing out the end. Crazy shit. You may be asking yourself, "What is it, Pixie?" Well, here's a picture of what the stems look like.

Does that give you any ideas? I didn't me either. This is not a picture of my plant, just what it looks like more or less. Nothing special right now, but, soon it will bloom into the beauty that is known as the peony. That's right the peony. One of the plants that is on my list of things to put in my yard! Yeah! This will save me $$$. I'm so happy I could pee.

I don't know exactly what type of peony yet but it doesn't matter. It's in a completely awkward spot and in the fall I will be transplanting it, until then—grow my friend, grow.

For those of you that don't know what a peony looks like, here you go.

15 comments:

Anonymous said...

Ooh that is lovely.

"I'm so excited I could pee" made me chuckle you funny, funny bitch.

Holly {ArtistMotherTeacher} said...

hehe...glad I could entertain you!

Jen said...

I think I'm a bit disappointed. As much as I've read about peonies in books (not about them, really, they're just always talking about them growing somewhere in this novel or that one...) I didn't realize I'd never SEEN one until your post and, well...

It looks like what happens when a rose has it's way with a carnation.

I mean, it's pretty, and in your case it's a lovely surprise, but in my case - it looks like lots of things I've seen already.

Holly {ArtistMotherTeacher} said...

The flowers are HUGE though (like the size of a grapefruit) and smell heavenly. You could cut one flower and put it in a vase and you've got a beautiful looking arrangement. Imagine a few of them in individual mason jars or bud vases. Quite a sight to behold (imho).

Jen said...

Ahhh...I get it now! That does sound nice!

Why's it got such a little name then? It's name makes it sound tinier than that.

I still think a rose had its way with a carnation and the whole thing blew up in their faces.

Anonymous said...

No, I think you mean MY Felco's!

Holly {ArtistMotherTeacher} said...

what's yours is mine. hehehe...

The Boy said...

One of my fav's. Similarly we had some hidden in the garden when we took it over 10 years ago. Have since planted 8 different varieties.

A clump of Peonies has to be seen to be believed. A one foot by 2 foot clump can produce 40-50 flowers, each one as big as your fist.

Holly {ArtistMotherTeacher} said...

the boy—I hear ya, they are one of my favorites too. I'm really excited to have them pop up without having to get into my wallet.

Jen said...

What is something that's going to be that big doing planted under yew trees?

Who's the numbskull that let everything get so overgrown? I bet those peonies are rejoicing that you made some space for them and provided fresh air and daylight.

Holly {ArtistMotherTeacher} said...

You know Jen, it's hard telling why anything ended up where it's at. With regards to it being overgrown, remember the owner had shot himself in July of last year. I don't think there was anyone around to take care of the place like it should have been. The peonies are really taking off now and I think the bulbs on the side of the house are lily of the valley—they are getting little flower buds on them and that's what they look like.

Jen said...

Ah, yes- I forgot he wasn't around to tend to his plants. Sorry.

Here's a funny blog for you to look at.

Holly {ArtistMotherTeacher} said...

No need to be sorry, I love tending to the yard. If it was neat and in order there wouldn't be anything for me to do.

The Boy said...

Wash your mouth out with soap!

After 10 years continual work on our 1/2 acre (my wife is a dead keen gardener, I'm just General Dogsbody), we still probably put in half a day a week each, plus we have a gardener in 4-6 hours a weeks to do the lawn, weeding, projects, etc.

That's what makes it such a lifestyle, there's always something to do!

Holly {ArtistMotherTeacher} said...

relax, relax...I didn't mean it in a bad way. I love trimming the trees and shaping up the yard. I want to have hours on end of stuff to do...then an icy cold beer as a reward. We don't have a half an acre or a gardener (or extra $$), but I've got plenty of things to do. Like weeding which isn't high up there in my books.