My Miss Kim was right on the verge of blooming earlier this week and when I stepped out on the balcony after coming home from work, the smell from her blooming today was POWERFUL!! WOW!!! I think having these past few days in the muggy mid-upper '80s was enough to spur her on and concentrate the fragrance!

I've had her going on 6 years and this year she boasted the largest number of blooms that I have ever seen on her - almost like what ground-planted ones get. I mean, she was really covered, with a few even blooming on the "back side" of the shrub, which is away from the sun. And note that I face NE, but by this time of the year, the sun is rising full on at the balcony and eventually goes up and over the building by about 10 - 11 am right along the rail, so I usually peak out with about 5 - 6 hours of morning sun from around now through the summer (with a little wedge of afternoon sun in one corner for about 4 hours until sunset).

I think this was because I didn't have to cover her this year for frost (when we had a threat, she had not quite swelled her buds enough, although my James McFarlane and Agincourt Beauty had, and I had to cover them which often means buds knocked off).

Time to cut some to bring inside!

girlsaylor

girlsaylor - I have some peonies out there (am growing them for the first time - bought and planted a potted Sarah Bernhardt last spring). The buds have all swelled and are even starting to show color. Am crossing my fingers that they will open okay in the next week or so.