This year’s spring has been rather cool, with today’s temperatures starting in the mid forties °F (or 7 °C). However, our garden flowers don’t seem to mind and have put on glorious displays.

Peonies thrived the most even though they have lived in our front and backyard for 35 years with little care. They are said to go back as far as 1000 BC in China. In Asia, they were mainly grown for their medicinal properties, with their roots and seeds used to treat headaches, asthma, and even childbirth pains.

According to WebMD, “Peony (Paeonia lactiflora) is an herb. The roots are commonly used in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) for many purposes.

Peony might block chemicals that can cause pain and swelling. It might also prevent blood clotting, kill cancer cells, and act as an antioxidant. Peony is sometimes called red peony and white peony. This refers to the color of the processed root, not the color of the flowers.

People use peony for menstrual cramps, aging skin, cough, epilepsy, psoriasis, and many other conditions, but there is no good scientific evidence to support these uses.”

The Double Knock Out roses are at their best this year, perhaps because cool temperatures have kept away the Japanese Beetles, so far.