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Background information about Denis Wilson's Peonies
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Love to Grow: Grow to Love.
This peony diary started as an experimental project early in the Australian Spring 2005. The initial intention was to record the progress of Denis's peonies while he was temporarily away from Robertson and his hillside garden. The earlier photos were taken by Anni (read more about life in Robertson in her weblog), and the later ones by Denis, who has also written the commentary for the site. With a growing number of visitors to the site, we wanted to go on and show all the peonies as they burst into bloom one by one.
Denis on growing peonies: 
"I have loved Peonies since I first saw some which my father grew when I was a child. I got more seriously involved with Peonies about 10 years ago, when I discovered an old Tree Peony growing in a garden near to where I lived. I was fascinated by it. Slowly I started to learn more about Peonies, and built a small collection of plants.
" I moved to Robertson 3 years ago, so that I could grow Peonies really well. Robertson has the right combination of soil and climatic conditions for my plants. It has rich red basalt soil, is cool enough for Peonies (regular light frosts, and occasional snowfalls), and importantly, it has abundant rainfall. This combination of factors is very rare to find in Australia, where most of the soils are ancient and depleted of nutrients. Not being subject to searing summer temperatures and crippling droughts is a great benefit, too.
" What I did not know, until I moved here, is that I would also find a vibrant community in Robertson, full of interesting, good natured and talented people. This is where I feel at home (see photo).
" I especially want to thank Anni for her generosity of spirit in not only suggesting this project in the first place, but taking the early photographs while I was in away from Robertson, receiving medical treatment; then creating the Peony Diary page, and graphics for me; and finally, for patiently uploading all these photos and my text. I have enjoyed the experience immensely, and I hope it has given you, the reader, a chance to enjoy, through these plants, some of the wonders of nature."
Anni adds:
"Anyone can see that I am at the receiving end, being able to look at these wonderful plants, not only in photos but where they grow, and learn more about them every day."
Email Denis
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