I
magine this setting - intoxicating tree peonies laced with a sweet nectarous, yet smoky, aroma blooming below towering tulip trees that create a cathedral-like ceiling. Ethereal light filters through their tall trunks giving depth to a woodland that is dotted with wild ferns, colonies of Jack-in-the-Pulpit and rare Fern Leaf peonies, in show-stopping hues of fiery red. Narrow walking paths meander throughout, which are also flourishing with seasonal bearded iris, hydrangeas and other botanicals. The line between reality and a dreamland begin to blur together. Amidst the verdant green, a rainbow of colors paint the landscape in shades of creamy white to crimson. The oasis encountered is Peony’s Envy, a nursery and display garden in New Jersey, an exclusive home to more than 700 types of peonies. athleen Gagan started planting peony bushes out of her love for the ruffled bloom, which has the ability to seduce nearly all that come into contact with its beauty. Before entering the floral field, she had a career as a linguist and international corporate communications consultant, where she resided in Venezula and Taiwan. In 2004 when she returned back to the States, she began dabbling in the peony world. She began with 30 plants, but the collection inevitably grew. Eventually people began to take notice and visitors began flocking from all over, to view her impressive range and to purchase the peonies that she cultivated. While opening her doors to the public is not a necessity, she believes that it is important to have a haven, a place of beauty that people can escape to and encounter something wonderful. She insists that something happens to the heart - it beats faster when you immerse yourself in an experience as wonderful as flowers. I couldn’t agree more. Read on to learn about her prized blooms and tips on how to grow your own.
DISCOVERING THE MAGICAL TREE PEONY written & photographed by Alison Engstrom
K
right Hana Kiso
WOODL AND BE AUT Y Was there a particular moment that prompted your love for peonies? I think it was a lot of luck, the key being that deer do not eat them. I was trying to find a sustainable crop for the farmland and peonies won. Peonies chose me and they did so for a reason. They fit into my ethic on gardening, in that you don’t need extra irrigation or chemical fertilizers to make them grow, with only a few exceptions. You don’t need to do much to keep your plant healthy. K ATHLEEN GAGAN
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