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Well, it has been a journey so far. Here’s a quick recap of what has happened the last few years.

Winter of 2023-24: This was an odd one. So many thaw and freeze cycles throughout the winter. It would get mild and melt and then cold and freeze, and repeat all winter. We didn’t think anything of that until spring happened.

Spring 2024: After the odd winter, we were eagerly awaiting the emergence of our peonies. Imagine our dismay and grief when we walked out into our peony beds and the ground was more bog than garden beds, and there was very little growth. Turns out the peony beds were absolutely waterlogged and not draining. We ended up losing 60% of what we planted. Some rapid research on soil amendment, an arbourist friend willing to bring us a load of mulch and a whole lot of work and we were able to save what was left. We tilled up some of the unused beds, added mulch, tilled it again and replanted what was left.

Summer 2024: Summer was spent trying to keep on top of the weeding. We’d barely get one side done, start the second only to see the first was full of weeds…..again! We finally decided to invest in some heavy duty fabric and covered the beds. Sure saved hours of weeding.

Fall 2024: We tucked them in for winter and said our prayers.

Winter 2024-25: I think we spent most of our winter praying.

Spring 2025: Almost everything came back! Tilled another bed and got ready for spring planting. Spring planting was gifted to us by my neighbour – we don’t know what variety they are, so we renamed them Lydia’s Love.

Summer 2025: Spent the summer weeding and watching them grow. They seemed to grow so slowly.

Fall/Winter 2025-26: Another good solid winter.

Spring 2026: Everything came back!!!! There is an old garden saying that has held true:

“First year it sleeps, Second year it creeps, Third year it leaps”

And boy, has it leapt this year. Some of our bushes are 3 feet tall and just about all of them will bloom. Such a relief after that first spring. We also planted 8 more Duchess De Nemours. We haven’t decided yet if we are letting them bloom this year or will start selling this year. First bloom of the year – Sunny Girl

It’s hard to believe that Peony Meadows really, finally exists. What started out years ago as a love of peonies for both T and I, and then a dream of sharing that love with others, has turned into my backyard being torn up and turned into gardens. My Hubby is on board with that, as it means less yard to mow. Which means that we can keep expanding as well. Right, Babe?

We started with a paper design of what we wanted. Then we marked it out with random pieces of wood, then spray painted it out on my lawn – neighbours were a little confused about all the colourful lines! Then after renting a sod cutter and a trailer – we removed the sod, loaded it onto the trailer and hauled it away. T’s kids were a huge help in this step. Those sod rolls were heavy.

After the sod was removed, then we marked all our lines again, and started tilling the gardens. or at least that was the plan. When my wonderful in-laws brought over the garden tractor, Dad said we could finally move my potting shed over where I wanted it. What a wonderful Dad. (He also helped with sod removal, driving the truck and trailer, etc)

Took a bit of work – first we used some old concrete pavers to make a base, then we had to get under the shed to lift it, Dad put some skids under it, screwed pieces across the front and back holding it in place, and then dragged it across the yard to the new home. And it looks perfect there, like it was always meant to be. After the shed was in place it was late enough, we all went to bed. Dad came back the next morning to start and finish the tilling.

And then it sat and waited like this for roots to arrive. We did add landscaping fabric to our paths. Eventually roots started showing up, from our supplies, from friends in town with an old bush that they wanted removed, to picking up someone’s extras from an hour away. We did panic a little bit as winter was rapidly approaching, or so we thought. Our last plants went in ground first week of November and winter did finally show up after that.

And just like that, we had the gardens planted. Now we are eagerly awaiting spring. In the end, we planted 17 named varieties, and have 5 more ordered for spring planting.

Spring, please come quickly!