Show dates have to be set well in advance, and, of course, they are always set based on “average” weather conditions in the vicinity.
It’s only natural, then, that whenever “Old Man Weather” decides to change his scheme of things, a show suffers rather drastically, especially as regards exhibits from nearby growers.
That’s just what happened to this year’s annual show of the American Peony Society held in Boston, Massachusetts, on June 17 and 18.
The season was unusually late, and comparatively few local blooms were open at the appointed time.
Fortunately, however, two exhibits from Kansas, one from Illinois, one from Long Island, New York, and one from New Jersey, together with a marvelous display of tree and herbaceous peonies from Professor A. P. Saunders of Clinton, New York, combined to give the visitors plenty of interesting material to see.
Award For The Best Peony Bloom Exhibited
The award for the best bloom in the show at Boston went to the dark pink variety BLANCHE KING, which also won as the best dark pink in the show. Myron D. Bigger of Topeka, Kansas, showed it.
The same grower’s origination, WESTERNER, light pink, was chosen the best Japanese peony and was also awarded the American Home Achievement Medal as the best and most distinguished new peony exhibited.
Best Singles
The best single in the show was the following:
- PRESIDENT LINCOLN, red, shown by Roy G. Gayle of Rockford
- Illinois, who also showed the best white LE CYGNE
- the best near-yellow, FANNY CROSBY
- and the best single hybrid, FLAME
A bloom of SARAH BERNHARDT was judged the best medium pink and one of ZIBA the best red, both being shown by the Moots family of Newton, Kansas, who also won the American Peony Society silver medal for the best 25-30 varieties.
Neal R. van Loon of Newton, New Jersey
- Best light pink NICK SHAYLOR
- Best white Japanese, ISANI GIDUI
- Best pink single, ANGELUS
- Best red single, KANKAKEE
- Best semi-double, PHYLLIS KELWAY, pink.
Mr. van Loon also carried off the gold medal of the American Peony Society for the best 50-60 varieties. Prof. A. P. Saunders of Clinton, New York, showed the best hybrid, Ludovica.
The James Boyd Memorial Medal, for the most distinguished peony entry in the show, went to Cherry Hill Nurseries, West Newbury, Massachusetts, for their very large display in the main exhibition hall.
Varieties of Hybrid Herbaceous
The most colorful exhibit in the show was that of Prof. A. P. Saunders, comprising 47 varieties of hybrid herbaceous and 24 hybrid tree peonies.
Some of the more outstanding varieties in his exhibit, among the herbaceous varieties, were:
- ALEXANDER WOOLLCOTT
- CON-STANCE SPRY
- GARDEN PEACE
- JULIA GRANT
- LUDOVICA
- MARTA
And among the tree varieties:
- BLACK DOUGLAS
- COUNTESS
- DAREDEVIL
- FESTIVAL
- ROMAN GOLD
At the Minneapolis Show, the annual peony show of Minnesota. Peony and Iris Society, held in Minneapolis on June 25 and 26, was not so greatly handicapped by the weather as the Boston show of the American Peony Society.
Even here, however, the show was a week or more too early for the best of the fine late varieties.
Minneapolis Champions
The grand champion blooming at Minneapolis was MINUET, which also was judged the best light pink.
It was shown by Franklin Nursery of Minneapolis, which firm also won the American Home Achievement Medal with BONANZA, the best red in the show.
The best white was Mrs. J. V. EDLUND, and the best flesh was ALICE HARDING, both shown by Croix Farms of Hastings, Minnesota.
The same firm was also awarded the silver medal of the American Peony Society for the best five varieties, showing:
- MARTHA BULLOCH, pink
- MRS. A. M. BRAND, white
- MRS. F. D. ROOSEVELT, pink
- Mrs. W. L. Gumm, light pink
- VICTOIRE DE LA MARNE, red
By a rare coincidence, BLANCHE KING, shown by Myron D. Bigger, was the best dark pink in Minneapolis and Boston.
Illinois Winners
A small but very beautiful exhibit of herbaceous hybrids originated by Lyman D. Glasscock of Elwood, Illinois, was staged by G. H. Greaves of St. Paul.
This included the following varieties:
- BRIGHT KNIGHT
- CRUSADER
- EROS
- FLAME
- GAY CAVALIER
- MAY DELIGHT
Outstanding varieties of all the fine peonies seen this year, the one that stood out most prominently as one of the finest was ELSA SASS. Its beautifully formed flowers of deep creamy white with pink tints lacked only fragrance to make it a truly perfect flower.
Hardly less beautiful was the light pink MRS. F. D. ROOSEVELT. Both of these were introduced about 15 years ago but have only now become recognized as standing at the top of our list of fine varieties.
Varieties Introduced in 1944
Two varieties which were introduced in 1944, VICTORY, white, and MATTIE LAFUZE, ivory-pink, were outstandingly beautiful in every garden where they were seen.
A Canadian beauty, LOUISE LOSSING, white with yellow and pink tints, also now seems to be forging to the front as one of our finest.
MARILLA BEAUTY, immense and informal in flower, very late, and exquisite in its blush white coloring, evidently always opens its blooms in every section of the country.
Fast becoming one of the grandest pure whites is MARY E. NICHOLS, and the blushing DOROTHY J. yields to none in beauty and fine performance.
MOONSTONE, very aptly named for its coloring, is making good everywhere, while the new red IRENE JONES, though not large, will doubtless also do well in all sections.
Both with fine plants and somewhat similar flowers, one light pink and the other pink with yellow and white tones, LOTTIE DAWSON REA and FLORENCE NICHOLLS, make garden subjects unsurpassed.
For Exquisiteness of Form and Color
MOONGLOW, in white and yellow tones, will stand out among all the rest. To those who are looking for top excellence in decorative blooms:
- MILDRED MAY, purest white
- WHITE ROSE, with a slight blush tint
- JOHN HOWARD WIGELL, pink
- RED GODDESS, deep unfading red, is semi-double and of the greatest beauty.
Undoubtedly the one Japanese type that has outshone all others in gardens in many parts of the country is WESTERNER, a fine medium pink, very large and with extra long stems and dark green, heavy foliage.
In sections where all peonies open easily, MOUNT EVEREST will be a wonderful performer with its great mound of snowy whiteness tinted the color of a rosy dawn.
The new red varieties, KING MIDAS, BURMA, SIR JOHN FRANKLIN, JUDY BECKER, and MARK TWAIN, all seem to be making a lasting place for themselves in many gardens.
And doubtless, the year’s medal winner, BONANZA, will do equally well for other growers when it becomes more widely planted. It certainly looks good.
In the few gardens in which it has been grown, DORIS COOPER, flesh, is making spectacular records for size and dependability.
DOLORODELL, medium pink, and TONDELEYO, dark pink, continue to make records for beauty nod performance.
The very name FLOWER GIRL brings to mind a picture of charm, beauty, and daintiness, which the blush flower itself never fails to give. RAPTURE is another beauty that fully lives up to its name.
Tried and True Varieties
As regards the old, tried and true varieties, this year saw many of them perform as they have seldom done before.
- DR. J. H. NEELEY
- JUDGE SNOOK
- BLANCHE KING
- MRS. FRANK BEACH
- MRS. A. M. BRAND
- MRS. J. V. EDLUND
- MYRTLE GENTRY
- LE CYGNE
- ALESIA
- MRS. HARRY F. LITTLE
- LA LORRAINE
- A. B. FRANKLIN
- SOLANGE
And a host of others were more beautiful than I had ever seen before, and many of them continued to hold their high rank despite all the new corners.
44659 by George W. Peyton