Behold the peony!

Living in Indiana has many wonderful perks. Indiana is known for the Indianapolis 500, the 2012 Super Bowl, and our Mainscape home office!

One of the best things about living in Indiana is our state flower, the peony.  The peony has been our state flower since 1957. The bloom season is typically from late May until early June. In the past, they have been well-known for decorating weddings, gravesites, and gardens. Today, they are becoming a staple in landscape designs due to their versatile nature.

Below are the top 10 reasons to include peonies in your landscape design:

1. They require little to no maintenance.
2. They have varieties today that do not droop and can hold the bloom.
3. They are perennials. Enjoy them every year.
4. They are not related to the rose and have no thorns.
5. Over 1000 varieties of peonies exist.  There is a peony to fit every design.
6. They are hardy in Zones 3-8.
7. There are early, mid, and late-blooming varieties that extend the blooming season.
8. They have beautiful dark green foliage that make a great accent for borders after blooming.
9. You can freeze the buds for cut flowers to enjoy months later.
10. They smell amazing!

What I love the most about peonies is splitting them year after year to give away to friends and family. If you missed the season of the blooming peony this year, it is not too late to plan for next year!

Happy planting, designing, and smelling the peony!

Best,

Sarah Lacey