Words can't describe...

... how excited I am to report that the stems born from peony roots I planted in the fall are emerging! Many of you know that despite numerous lunch hours spent among blooms at Lord Baltimore Florist, no flower has captivated me the way a bright white Marie Lemoine Peony can - and the season for these gorgeous specimens, with blooms so fragrant and dense the stalks barely support them, is almost upon us.

It may not look like much, but the small stalk (pictured) is the first success I have had in the peony department to date. I mean, sure, I've purchased an already-flowering plant from Home Depot and suffered incredible disappointment after all two of the buds/blooms quickly wither away in the Maryland heat, but never before have I been present from the very beginning. And I must say, I am enjoying the anticipation and looking forward to an even greater appreciation for the flowers come late April and May.

Years ago, my sister wrote to me in an email: You've got to plant your own garden instead of waiting for someone to bring you flowers. It took a while to germinate and of course she was speaking figuratively, but here I am, and I'm going to give her the first bloom.