Peony and the P.O.

Two equally amazing things happened the other day. The first was that my tree peony bloomed. It was pretty windy out and the thing was blowing around like crazy, but here she is.

Tree peonies are a little bit different than your grandma's border peonies. Tree peonies are actually shrubs, and unlike the herbaceous peonies they don't die all the way back to the ground. Their blooms are huge -- this one is probably five inches in diameter, and it looks like I'll probably get only two on this plant. I bought it  for $20 at a little nursery on the way home from the Wooden Shoe tulip farm one spring, and it just had a tag on it, translated out of Chinese, that said "Pink Tree Peony" with some basic care instructions. I plopped it in a pot and stuck it on the front porch. I wasn't sure where I wanted to plant it in the ground, so I thought the pot would be temporary, but now it's been four years and the plant actually seems rather happy where it is.

Tree peonies have been around for centuries, and they are treasured in China. On a tree peony web site, I found a bit of history about them. They said that a poet once wrote, "Only the tree peony is worthy of being called the beauty of the Empire.  During its blooming time the whole capital city went berserk. Horses and carriages were coming and going like crazy. Those who didn't go to see the flowers were feeling ashamed of themselves." I love the image of a whole city going crazy bonk-bonk over a flower. When you see these girls in real life, you feel like it could happen.

My girl here has been a reliable bloomer every year, with little pampering. Little care, period. I told my friend the other day that I am the Joan Crawford of plant parents, by turns obsequious and enthusiastic, lavishing attention and encouragement, next neglectful and threatening, ripping out the non-performers who have not scrambled to receive my meager offerings. But this plant asks nothing and gives me this, faithfully, in return. I've always felt a little bit sad that I don't know her real name, since tree peonies have just about the best names in the world. Here are some I found on-line:

Snow Encircling Pure Heart
Palace Dress
Night Glow on the Sacred Mountain
Charming Scenery After Rain
Flying Swallow in a Red Dress
Taoist Stove Filled with Pills of Immortality
White Crane Standing in the Sun
Better than Jade with Triple Magic
Silver Pink-Glittering Gold
Snow-Kissed Peach
Beauty with Green Hairpin
Smiling in the Thickets

I've decided that mine looks close to Green Dragon in a Pink Pool, so I'm going to call her that. This is how she looked this morning, all closed up and chilly. The color is so delicate and lovely it does make me crazy. I'm also rather moved by the whole entire plant itself; I wish I'd taken a picture of it but I forgot. It's just this long, stalky, sort of empty-looking plant -- not much foliage, just a couple of two-foot-tall skinny, woody sticks, and then this enormous ballet costume hanging off the end. It seems so incongruous that such a forgettable-seeming bunch of sticks could produce such a blatant miracle. I've got one more bud that looks like it'll be open in four or five days -- this one's already been hanging out for at least three or four. She closes up at night and then opens her petals as the sun comes around to that side of the house.

The other amazing thing that happened on that same day, I think it was Monday, was that the post office was completely empty at one o'clock in the afternoon. That is my empty bucket you see there. I was busy spinning in circles saying, "But . . . but . . . where is everybody?" and "Wait -- I've gotta go get my camera out of the car. No one will believe this." In all my days of coming to the SE 7th Ave. Station, I have never seen it empty. It was Alicia Day at the P.O. Even I -- yes I -- actually joked and laughed at the P.O., just like I've seen other people do! Even Carlos laughed (as he tried to duck out of the picture).

But I insisted that he smile for me. I think we shared a moment. Thanks, Carlos. I will try to have all my forms filled out properly and not be such a grouch, now that we're buds.

Comments

[Mel]

BEAUTIFUL photograph at the top! My goodness, what a jaw dropper. I had no idea the peonies had just great names, either!

The one time I went to my local post office and found it devoid of patrons, the guys behind the counter told me that by asking, "Oh, my gosh, where is everybody?" I was going to jinx it. And I did, 'cause the line was out the door by the time I was finished! Next time I'll revel quietly! =)

Congratulations on your good P.O. juju!

[Lindsey (Yankee Girl Designs)]

*sigh*
That peony tree is amazing! Ohhhh how I love the peony, it's my favorite flower :) So beautiful and delicate and that pale ballet pink of the blooms gets me everytime!

[Amanda Button]

Swoon! So beautiful!!!! i am having the biggest urge to stick my nose in it and breath that smell. mmmmm! Are tree peonies fragrant like their smaller sisters?

And you ha quiet day at the PO to boot! A day full of miracles indeed! :D

[Stephanie]

I have never seen Carlos look so happy!! I can't believe it.

[janelle]

gorgeous. thank you for sharing! makes me wish i was outside enjoying the weather instead of here at my desk at work.
I was able to go down to washington dc a few weeks ago for the cherry blossom festival. Talk about a whole city going crazy over flowers. Well more like it everyone from the dc area that comes in to see them. they are beautiful and there are tons of tourists snapping pics and having picnics. I wasn't even annoyed by it - because of all the beauty around me!

[Beth]

Youre tree peonies are just gorgeous. I may have to go get some. I inherited all of the peonies from Grandmother's house when she passed away. They are just on the verge of blooming. I cannot wait. They are all pink and white.... but I do believe I am going to have to get some tree peonies.... I also inherited my gr gr grandmother's old fasioned yellow rose bush. She brought it from Illinois when they migrated to Oklahoma. It was then in my grandparents yard, my parents yard, and now mine (my parents are still around, but I so dearly wanted it... and my dad gave it). It is fragrant when it blooms. I will have to take pictures of it and but it on my blog.
Thank you for the lovely pics Alicia.

[~Vicki]

Oh wow! another tree peony just like mine! they must've all popped open yesterday with all the sun we had. not quite so glorious today! thanks for sharing this and all the history too.

[quenna]

Thanks for the wonderful peony pictures! My mom has these huge magenta ones. It's one of my favorite flowers...but (sob) doesn't grow well where I live.

[Lauren]

How wonderful...thank you!

[lori]

How is it possible that everything here is always so lovely and charming? I love the Pink Tree Peony!!!

[Blair]

Happy Alicia Day! I'm jealous, your postman has teeth.

[Mariko]

I just got back from the post office, and there was no line, either! Lovely peony.

[kirsty]

Thank you for sharing your GORGEOUS peonies. They have lit up my morning! And so has Carlos!

[Carrie]

Lovely peonies! I only wish I could grow them in Southern California! I'd plant them EVERYWHERE!

And hey, is that a *gasp* smiling postal employee?

[kelly]

what a beautiful flower... peonies are one of my favorites, but i never knew the difference of the tree peonies - thanks for the info.

and, what a miraculous po day! congrats!

[Lisa]

I lived in Portland three years ago, and walked to that post office quite often. It's so strange to see it on the internet again - I recognized it immediately! Portland is such a great city, and even surprise pictures of an ordinary old post office warms my heart with memories. Thank you for posting them!

[Amy]

A, I have to tell you that I have the most amazing post office here. Mr. Bey is my favorite and he always asks me to tell him what is in the boxes, specifically and just for his curiousity. p.s. I can't wait for my peonies (ordinary ones) to bloom.

[kim]

coming out from the lurk position! I have to say "Hey" to the post office. I have NEV-ER EV-ER been to that p.o. when it was empty. And Carlos....he so rarely is smiling! Oh joy. Thanks for sharing that.

[Nicole]

I look at/read your blog everyday and absolutely adore it. I look forward to seeing the beautiful pictures you post and reading your stories. Thanks!!

[larissa]

Love the peony. And I know that p.o. That is a god's honest miracle. Congratulations.

[Melissa]

Hi Alicia. I just wanted to let you know that I put a link to your blog from my new little blog. I hope that's ok. And your peonies are stunning.

[abby]

Wow! What pure beauty. Thanks for the little lesson about tree peonies! I think all your postal customers went down to the central station (I have a business P.O. box there) it was crazy yesterday!
ps-Carlos is a cutie!

[nina]

alicia, i am SO reminded of the soup nazi by the ongoing stories of carlos-the-grump. it is ever so lovely to see him smiling...you've DISARMED him! kudos to you!!!! and your pink lady o' the garden is luscious. xo nina

[Vicki in Michigan]

Joan Crawford -- I love it. I so resemble that remark.... Though as I get older I am more neglectful and less overbearingly "nurturing"....

Love your photos of your sister's place, too.

[Amber]

Aieeeeee!!

I go crazy crazy CRAZY just THINKING about the peonies and thank you thank you thank you for the lovely pictures of them.

Oh, oh, oh, the joy of the peonies is just so much! So much Joy!