Sentimental Saturday: Peony

I had an idea recently to write a weekly series of posts entitled “Sentimental Saturday” in which I will share a picture of an object or place about which I am sentimental, along with a little story about it. Feel free to join in; leave a link in the comments if you do!

Peony Bud

Neal and I started dating not long after he bought the house we live in now. Among his first projects was the creation of gardens around the yard; he studied landscape architecture as an undergraduate and was eager to apply his knowledge to his own space.  Despite his vastly superior understanding of plants and gardens, Neal asked my opinion often. I had no idea I would someday make my home here when I said, “peonies! Plant loads of peonies!”

He started with one peony, right by the deck stairs where we like to sit and watch the world (dogs, hummingbirds, butterflies) around us. Each spring, the peony shoots are the first thing I look for.  When the buds are a tad bigger than in the picture above, I cut a few to watch them bloom, usually placing them on my desk, where I spend the most time.

Of the many plants in our gardens, this is my favorite. It is the first plant Neal added to the yard for me, and I believe that the growth of our relationship is made physical in the burgeoning peony. I carried peonies at our wedding to represent this connection to each other and the home we were creating together. We have many more peonies in a different garden now, but this first remains the one about which I am sentimental.

What are you sentimental about this week? Leave a link to a picture or post in the comments!

6 thoughts on “Sentimental Saturday: Peony”

  1. Beverly, I was “this close” to writing about peonies today, too! I love, love, love them. My mom always had peonies, so to me it’s just not a yard if there are no peonies. Your photography is so beautiful, I hope I can learn to take such good shots myself. Nice post!

  2. Peonies are sentimental for me, too. They make me think of my mom and then my first mother’s day when Hannah’s dad bought me a peony plant as a gift. I’m sentimental about birthdays this week!

  3. I like Peonies! How lovely & romantic of Neal. I like the idea of Sentimental Saturdays. Already have an idea for next week. I’ll share when it is up!

  4. OH the peony story is beautiful!
    What am I sentimental about? WHen my babies first began to smile at me. I had a patient begin to smile at me this weekend. IT brought the joy flooding back to me. THose first purposeful smiles are so worth the wait.
    As for sentimental flowers: morning glories remind me of my son. My girlfriend called him my Morning Glory as he arrived at 630 a.m. I used to plant them yearly …I must do it next year!

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