Picture of the Day: Yellow Peony

Beautiful yellow peony that is rare to find

Yesterday we visited a friend's home where they have two beautiful yellow peonies blooming.

Most peonies are various shades of white to pink to maroon, but yellow is considered rare. That's because it's hard to breed them to get the golden colour. 

So here's a picture of one to admire!

Picture of the Day: Pink Peonies

Beautiful peonies in bloom already!

It's that time of year again when my mother's peonies are in bloom!

This year we counted 30 buds that will blossom this year, thanks to organic compost to fertilise the soil.

A week ago the buds were coming out and then boom! They have unfurled into a massive mass of brilliant fuchsia and pink petals.

When examined closely the petals are quite delicate, and like sakura, these peonies fade soon after blooming.

Is it no wonder that Chinese painters liked to paint peonies, which are known as the "king of flowers", perhaps because of their size. Peonies represent wealth, honour, prosperity and success. 

We are taking pictures of them everyday, capturing their spirit and beauty before they disappear... for another year.

Picture of the Day: Peonies in Bloom

The brief life of peonies make them even more special in May

For a brief window of about two weeks in May, my mother's highly-anticipated peonies bloom and just as quickly wilt.

It's an annual spectacle we take in and watch in awe as these giant flowers unfurl themselves like creased silk sheets from a tight bud.

Giant bursts of pink in the garden

Her green thumb secret is using fertilizer she has composted for months that she spreads on the soil three times a year to ensure the blooms come out. There are well over a dozen of them together on the bush, making it hard to photograph them all.

But here they are in their pink glory! They are Chinese peonies, not at all like the western ones that look like giant carnations.

They inspire those Chinese watercolour paintings. But here I've captured them with my iPhone before their beauty fades...

Picture of the Day: Blooming Peony

Our first peony in bloom this season!

It's that time of year when giant buds suddenly appear in the garden and just as quickly begin to bloom.

A few days ago one large red peony bloomed, and now several others are opening up as well!

They have such a vivid red colour and the petals look delicate and thin like tissue paper, but are resilient enough to stick around for a few days.

These flowers are my mother's pride and joy, as she has cultivated these Chinese peonies for years and uses the soil from her compost to help them bloom so beautifully.

Looking forward to seeing the other peonies open up soon!