Molly the lolly
A thick grey fog embraced Cà Rossa this morning, my mood was already as grey and blurred as the weather when I watched the garden through the window. Suddenly a ray of light passed across the clouds and pointed a round pale yellow flower in the garden. There was a kind of miracle going on: the lollipop shaped paeonia mlokosewitschii buds opened.
Paeonia mlokosewitschii
Ethereal and smaller than what I expected but simply beautiful. I lingered there in admiration for a little while. I didn’t know this flower is scented too. It smells like clover and cinnamon, there’s something sweet and something bitter in its aroma, just like I like it.
Paeonia mlokosewitschii
I have a soft spot for simple yellow, white or green flowers but this one here somehow represent perfection to me. That crimson curled ribbon at the center, just to let you now it’s a girl, dusty yellow stamens gathered around her and all wrapped with pale origami paper, just sprinkled with dew. How could I not change my mood seeing such a beauty?
Paeonia mlokosewitschii
AltroVerde 
Congratulations…it DID flower, after all! What a beauty, I just love those simple, elegant singles…so gorgeous!
Yes it DID! It stayed wrapped tight in its bud until yesterday evening, when the bud became yellow and this morning gave me this gift.
See she’s magic! What a beauty– it reminds me of southern magnolia blooms, and scented too. I don’t typically like peonies– they fall over and I think of them as cemetery bouquets– but this Molly is beautiful. I’m glad she brightened the foggy day for you Alberto.
Southern magnolia is magnolia grandiflora, right? That is perfection. I love magnolias, shame I can’t have them in my garden.
Well I hope that somebody’s bringing me peonies when I’ll be dead: who cares if they fall over, I’m going to be stretched down too, so I can see the flowers comfortably.
Beautiful! So early flowering for a Paeonie.
I know, most species flower earlier than hybrids, even though I saw many peony trees in bloom lately.
Perfection ! So glad she flowered for you, the buds on mine are ready to burst open any day now, will be watching !
My other plant is a little behind this one, I think this has a better position but I need to feed both of them a little more as the leaves are supposed to be more silver than yellowish!
Looking forward to see yours in flower, a mature plant should be beautiful!
Beautiful, Alberto, just beautiful. If you like peonies come and visit, we have a peony farm very close by. When I visited the air was heavy with dampness and the perfume was the best I’ve ever enjoyed there. My peony’s buds are not going to open, something has eaten them from inside I think; it has never done well, this year it’s goodbye. Christina
Is it Centro Botanico Moutan you are talking about? I receive their catalogue every year but I’ve never really placed an order. They’re specialized in peony tree and sell paeonia lactiflora with no name or label. The nursery should be very interesting to visit though!
It certainly does represent perfection, Alberto and perfect photos too. D
Thanks Dave! I took the pics with my iPhone because the reflex’ battery was low: I needed 10 snaps to get 3 good ones.
Grrrr, I had one in my hand yesterday, but put her back on the shelf as I had already spent too much money, sooo regretting my decision, she is gorgeous!
I agree! 🙂 Well keep it on your wish list and get one asap as herbaceous peonies take a couple of years to flower when transplanted but after that they’re rather reliable plants! Want to really bite your fingers? Take a look at her seed pods in google!
The magic of a garden: a beam of light and one beautiful flower, and one’s mood is transformed! I am determined to add peonies to my garden one day.
Thanks for your comment on my April Walk post! I checked out the links you gave me to look again at my old rugosa ‘Agnes’. Yes, it is indeed an Agnes. It is a repeat bloomer, while the spinosissima blooms only once. My poor Agnes is in the shade, and I think that is probably the reason the blooms do not fulfill their potential. After seeing what it should look like, I plan to find a better location for it!
I think I’m going to add more peonies to the garden too!
Just now I had a déjà vu, I might have already told you something about your Agnes, haven’t I? Sorry about that but I really can’t get any similarity with my rugosa Agnes (which for instance doesn’t repeat and I always thought it was ok as it is an hybr rugosa x rosa foetida persiana). Anyway it doesn’t matter both the plants, mine and yours, are wonderful whatever they are! 🙂
What a beautiful, soft yellow flower…and your pictures are so wonderful.
Hi Donna! I hope you’re feeling better! Thank you for you comment!
Well Alberto, if Molly didn’t change your mood nothing would, very charming.
ciao, sono rimasto un po indietro…questa peonia semplice che non conoscevo è bellissima…con le gocce del mattino poi…
Ciao Michele! Devi vedere anche il blog di Pauline, qualche giorno fa ha messo le foto della sua molly che è più adulta e sana della mia: assolutamente fantastica! Trovi il link qui sopra tra i commenti.
The simple single paeony is perfectly beautiful, Alberto. A joy to behold….
It is! I hope Molly is growing a little faster now, just one flower isn’t enough!