Garden Love: Bunnies & Peonies

LOOKY...
at what's livin' in our berry patch! I don't know how many years a mama bunny has been raising her babies in the middle of our strawberry patch. We have to be careful when we pick not to step on it, the nest is right in the ground, so well blended in with the straw we throw down when the berry plants start to green up!

See the beady little eyes...down among the berries?

This little one is being so still ; probably thinks we won't see her!
...and, hubby shot the photos! I am so proud of him for picking up the camera more and more...and looky what else is bloomin' in the garden...

THE PEONIES!

Excuse me while I post excessive photos of their ruffly blooms so I can look at them in the throes winter -- when I've had my fill of ice and snow next February.

From my FAVORITE gardening book,
"Reader's Digest 1001 Hints & Tips for your Garden"

(purchased recently for $l.68 used from Amazon.com is an indispensable and wonderful resource, an alphabetically organized tome of information for everything to do with yard and garden! Need to know about peonies, just go to "P" and you'll find everything you need to know! Slugs in your garden, head to the "S" section and read many natural remedies to rid your garden of slugs! I LOVE IT!!)

Here is a partial excerpt from my book regarding PEONIES...

PEONIES: Terrible travelers. Peonies like to stay put, so select location carefully and prepare their beds to last for years. Pick a sunny to partially shaded area that is protected from wind. Dig to a depth of 12" and add rotted manure or compost, mix a few handfuls of bone meal into the hole.

Plant peonies in autumn when their "eyes"--which are little red buds on the crown--are visible. Set the eyes 1-2" below soil line, but no deeper; otherwise the plant will never bloom.