Catherine Chinue

(Formerly #901B)

DESCRIPTION:

This lavender-pink double bloom combines beautiful color, outstanding form and excellent plant habit.

The frilly unusually colored petals are a lavender-pink when the flower first opens but fade to a lighter shade as the flower matures. In addition, the medium sized blooms are frgrant and produce pollen.

This plants habit is unusually upright and pleasing.

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE NAME

My daughter - already an avid gardener at 10 - is the 8th Catherine in a row. The first Catherine was an Amish-Mennonite woman in Alsace Lorraine who immigrated to Lewis County NY with the rest of her Amish Mennonite community.

I imagine that each of these Catherines would have - by necessity - lived close to the land. In remote Lewis County, with its long punishing winters, I imagine they gardened and preserved extensively. And certainly, in my memory, that has always been the case.

My daughter, Catherine, is no different. If she has a bad day, I will undoubtedly see her out in the garden, digging up “my” plants and resolutely plopping them into the garden she’s created on her own.

This seedling is my daughter’s favorite peony. It seemed fitting to name it after her - and as a tribute to the 7 Catherines who came before her.

PLAN FOR INTRODUCTION

“Catherine Chinue” performed extremely well in the Zone 7 garden we had before we started this farm in Zone 4. In Zone 4, it’s been healthy but a slow grower with fewer flowers. We hope to move it to a warmer part of our farm. If it does well there, then we will propagate and introduce.