x Sinocalycanthus raulstonii ‘Hartlage Wine’

x Sinocalycanthus raulstonii ‘Hartlage Wine’ 
syn. Calycanthus raulstonii ‘Hartlage Wine’
“Caroline allspice” “Sweetshrub”
CALYCANTHACEAE

Deciduous Shrub

Zone: 5 – 9
Native habitat : North America (hybrid of Calycanthus floridus & Calycanthus chinensis)

Conditions
Soil: rich, loamy
Moisture: even, regular moisture
Light: full sun to part shade; taller in shade
Exposure: general
Plant size (h x w): 6′ – 10′ x 6′ – 8′
Other:

Aesthetic
Shape/stem: multi-stemmed, upright, arching, aromatic bark
Leaf: oval, off branches in pairs, green
Flower:  long bloom, slightly fragrant, wine-red with a slight creamy center, solidary; petals club-shaped, slightly curled, often white tips in the central ring of short petals
Bloom: early to late summer

Treatment (how to…)
Plant: general
Maintain: low maintenance, prune after flowering to shape (can be made into small tree), can prune hard; avoid cultivation around root (can sucker);
Propagate: cutting

Uses
Landscape: garden focus (long flowering), mixed boarder or bed, cottage, courtyard, flower boarder, wall side, rear of a mixed border where more robust, shorter perennials and shrubs can mask its lower branches
Companion planting: I like to picture it with mixed windflower beneath all in soft pastels
Medicinal: non known
Other:

Vulnerabilities
Pests and disease: none significant
Deer resistant: yes
Other animals: rabbit resistant

Interest
Local info,:
Pot size (to purchase): 
Nature: handsome ornamental shrub
Identification (key features): leaves always off in pairs, flowers petals curl up and distinct wine-red, fragrance a bit sweet&spicy
Interesting facts:
Cultivation: is a cross between calycanthus sinensis and C. florida
Cultivars: x S. r. ‘Venus’ – white flowers, smaller, 5-7’x5-7′
Comments:

 

Paeonia lutea var. ludlowii

Paeonia lutea var. Ludlowii
syn. Paeonia delavayi var. lutea
“Tibetan peony”
PAEONIACEAE

Deciduous Shrub

Zone: 5 – 8
Native habitat : South East Tibet

Conditions
Soil: fertile
Moisture: well-drained, average
Light: full sun to part shade; full sun is best; protect from ealy morning sun
Exposure: general
Plant size (h x w): 8′ x 8′
Other:

Aesthetic
Shape/stem: upright, vase, woody
Leaf: large, 9 leaflets, leaflets with pointed lobes, deeply cut, palmate, apple green,
Flower:  single, yellow, 3- 5″ wide, cupped, open with the leaves
Bloom: late spring
Other: large seed pods

Treatment (how to…)
Plant: as usual, water in first few year, make sure it is given good nutrients, ideally plant in fall
Maintain: low maintenance, prune to be a vase shape, layer cut of 1/3 of oldest stems to make less crowded and any stems that take away from its form
Propagate: seed, cutting

Uses
Landscape: cut flower, mixed boarder or bed, city, courtyard, cottage, accent
Companion planting: acer, berberis, rhododendron, roses, sorbus,
Medicinal: non known
Other: vase flower

Vulnerabilities
Pests and disease: none significant, caterpillars may eat, eelworm, peony wilt
Deer resistant: yes
Other animals: rabbit resistant

Interest
Local info,:
Pot size (to purchase): 
Nature: hardy handsome deciduous peony, ornamental shrub
Identification (key features): single yellow flower, large seed pod, leaves palmate with pointed lobes on leaflets, 
Interesting facts:
Cultivation: is not a graft like so many species but produced from seed
Comments: more vigorous than straight species