Cerinthe, had to pick a stem to get a decent photo.


My creamy, pale, pink Paeony, pity it has no perfume.

Lovely June, it's such a pity that peony's have such a short life

Luckily Deja it flowers after the common old red one (well deep pink really) so I get double the pleasure. I used to have a pale pink single paeony too, that actually had a perfume, but it was planted where I didn't want it (it was there when we moved in) and I had nowhere suitable to move it to, so my friend's daughter relieved me of it. They don't like being moved but I think it survived.

I love Peonies. When I had a garden I had a lovely red one. I took a bit when I moved but it didn't like it!

That first flower is gorgeous. Another one to look out for at the garden centre.

The Cerinthe, Monsy, was grown from seed and it tends to self seed each year. I planted the original seeds about 3 years ago and this one just appeared this year. I think Dave 'weeded' the rest out.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/gardening/plants/p ... 4247.shtml

http://www.crocus.co.uk/plantingideas/r ... &CategoryI

I remember the first time I saw Cerinthe seed (also about three years ago) I thought it was truly beautiful and bought a packet.

I've never been so disappointed with a plant so much as I was with that, June. The seed manufacturer had got a real close up of the open flower and some blue leaves behind them and I thought they would be much bigger than they turned out.

I haven't grown them since, although there are a few in the garden now which are self-sown - but once I start weeding they will go.

I love the peony though .. well all peonies. Yesterday, we went around some open gardens in the village where our son and d-i-l live and a retired vicar there specialises in them. The one I liked best was a strong pink with lots of yellow in the centre - (should have got the name of it)

Ours is just begining to open out.....gives a lovely show every year.