I ask you... who can resist a Peony?

 

I’m not sure what I like best about Peonies, but I know there’s an awful lot to like. I love to grow ’em, arrange ’em, and for this month’s release of all digital flower images: draw ’em! I find myself stalking the plants in the garden come early May. Is that healthy? Don’t tell anyone if not, because I’m afraid I can’t help myself.

I grow a number of magnificent cultivars hybridized by members of the renowned Klehm family (more on those wonderful people later, as I have a really fun history working with their nursery, Klehm’s Song Sparrow), and I also have several plants whose provenance is unknown, as I bought them in the discount section at the local garden shop because they’d lost their plant tags. But who really cares? They’re Peonies, and when they start to pop, I get more than a little bit giddy.  

These photos were taken last spring in my garden, when I was outside ogling their plump buds atop green stems, crawling with tiny ants and filled with promise.

I swoooooon during moments they begin to unfurl their magnificent petals, each so unique and sublime.

 

 After a rain, the blooms are heavy with drops and I have to shake them out a bit so they don’t droop too much, but I mean, look at these things!

  

I could ruminate about the joys of Peonies for days, but I have the feeling that you might be more interested in the new illustration I’ve done that celebrates this exquisite plant, and that you can get your hands on RIGHT NOW! I hope you find as much joy in them as I do! Introducing: Peonies

What do you think? Can you feel the Peony Passion? And can you imagine what you would do with these fluffy delights? We’re trying something a little new and different with our May release. All of the images are digital downloads (a.k.a. digital stamps, or the very cute moniker “digis”) — they are essentially a crisp black and white image file that you can save to your computer, open in a photo-editing program and have some fun resizing, changing the color, and manipulating, or simply print out straightaway! We are offering my flower images with specially designed companion sentiments in this way only for a limited time—so act fast, and get your instant garden growing!

If you think these Peony images from Power Poppy look like fun, then be prepared to be blasted by seeing a few of the cardmaking possibilities. The boundlessly talented Bloom Brigade have made cards with this set that could induce heart palpitations of the most creative kind. Come have a look...

Allison Cope
Christine Okken
Cindy Lawrence

Danielle Kennedy
Dawn Burnworth
Julie Koerber
Katie Sims
Leslie Miller

Stacy Morgan

Tosha Leyendekker

We have even more Instant Garden fun to share tomorrow! Eeeeee!! See you then!