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Peony Madame de Verneville is an ancient French variety known for its lush flowers with a strong rose scent. Received almost 140 years ago. It is decorative and low maintenance. The basic rules of planting are described in the material presented.
Breeding history
Madame de Verneville (Mme De Verneville) is one of the oldest varieties, bred by the French breeder Crousse Felix back in 1885. The flower was loved for its delicate color and lush shape. It spread quite quickly throughout Europe and other countries. The culture is quite well known in Russia.
Description of Madame de Verneville peony with photo
Peony Madame de Verneville is a low shrub with erect, fairly strong peduncles that grow to no more than 80 cm. They are well leafed, the plates are large, dark green in color.
Madame de Verneville peony flowers are medium in size, reaching 10-13 cm in diameter. They are of the double type, almost spherical in shape, reminiscent of a pompom.They consist of numerous petals with graceful wavy edges, arranged in several rows. The color is pure white, milky, with soft pink shades visible in the central part. The flowers emit a strong scent that is reminiscent of roses.
Peony produces large inflorescences of white shades
It can withstand temperatures down to -40 degrees in open ground, which corresponds to zone 3. Therefore, it can be grown in almost all Russian regions.
Timing and flowering period
In terms of flowering time, the peony Madame de Verneville belongs to the middle varieties. The buds begin to open in the second decade of June and end in early July. In rare cases, due to a cool spring, the dates may shift by several days. Moreover, the total flowering period is about 8-10 days, i.e. a little over a week.
Advantages and disadvantages
The Madame de Verneville variety is represented by classic double peonies, which look truly impressive despite their average diameter. The fact is that the inflorescences are lush and almost spherical in shape. Therefore, they decorate the garden and also look attractive when cut.
The flowers are lush, reminiscent of pompoms
Pros:
- showy inflorescences;
- delicate coloring;
- strong aroma;
- look beautiful when cut;
- very high winter hardiness;
- the bush is compact and does not take up much space;
- The flower stalks are strong and do not break under gusts of wind.
Minuses:
- short flowering;
- dimensions (diameter) average;
- may suffer from diseases.
When and how to plant
The Madame de Verneville peony is planned to be planted at the end of April, or possibly in the first half of May, which is especially important for the northern regions. Autumn planting is allowed only in the south - in the second half of October.The place must meet aesthetic and purely practical requirements:
- good illumination (partial shade is allowed);
- absence of stagnation of water (lowlands are not considered);
- fertile and loose soil (preferably sandy loam or loamy soil).
Since the Madame de Verneville peony bush is not spreading, fairly dense planting is allowed according to the following algorithm:
- Dig several holes 60-70 cm deep at intervals of 80-100 cm.
- Place a layer of small stones at the bottom.
- Root the seedling in the center, straighten the roots.
- Compact the soil so that the buds go to a shallow depth (literally 3-5 cm).
- Water it with water at room temperature and after a few days lay the mulch.
Care instructions
Caring for Madame de Verneville peony is standard. First of all, the bush requires regular watering - weekly, which is especially important for young bushes. If there is a drought, water is given twice as often. At the same time, you need to ensure that the soil remains slightly moist, but not excessively and at the same time does not crack from the heat.
After watering the Madame de Verneville peony or heavy rains, it is advisable to loosen the soil. To keep the soil moist for as long as possible, lay sawdust, straw, peat or other mulch. If necessary, carry out weeding.
As for fertilizers, they are applied 3-4 times per season:
- after the snow melts, give urea or ammonium nitrate (20 g per 10 l);
- when the buds begin to form, give a complex mineral supplement or mullein 1:10 (infusion);
- after 2-3 weeks a similar composition is added;
- in early September, the bushes can be watered with an infusion of wood ash 150-200 g per 10 liters.
For abundant flowering, the shrub needs to be fed 3-4 times per season.
Wintering
Peony variety Madame de Verneville is highly winter hardy and can withstand even Siberian frosts. Therefore, preparation for the dormant period is minimal - at the end of October, the ground part is completely pruned, leaving stumps only 2-3 cm high.
The sections can be sprinkled with wood ash or coal, and then covered with peat, compost, dry leaves or straw. The mulch layer should be small - 7-8 cm is enough. Young bushes, including seedlings, need shelter, which can be obtained independently (by cuttings, layering). Adult peonies of the Madame de Verneville variety do not need to be covered.
Reproduction methods
Peony Madame de Verneville is propagated using all standard methods:
- obtaining cuttings;
- layering;
- dividing the bush.
At the beginning of summer, cuttings are cut from young green shoots of the Madame de Verneville peony, the length of the fragments should be 10-15 cm. It is necessary to make an oblique lower cut and a straight upper one, keep it overnight in a solution of “Kornevin” or another growth stimulant. Then they are planted in fertile soil, covered with a jar and regularly ventilated and watered. In early autumn they are transplanted to a permanent place.
You can also propagate the Madame de Verneville peony using layering. To do this, in April, several shallow trenches are dug under an adult bush and healthy lower branches are laid in them. They are pinned down, covered with soil (except for the top), regularly watered and fertilized throughout the season. In the fall, all fragments with their own roots are cut off and transplanted to a new location.
Dividing a bush is not only one of the ways to propagate the Madame de Verneville peony, but also a good method of rejuvenation. It is recommended to replant shrubs to a new location every 4-5 years. Moreover, it is better to do this in the fall - at the end of September, the plants are dug up and the rhizomes are cut into several fragments. Sprinkle with wood ash or coal powder and plant in a new place. Prune for winter and mulch.
Disease and pest control
Peony Madame de Verneville is quite resistant to diseases, especially if you organize proper care. However, it can suffer from fungal and bacterial infections, especially if the weather is cloudy and the summer has been rainy. For prevention and treatment, proven fungicides should be used:
- "Bordeaux mixture";
- "Ridomil Gold";
- "Fundazol";
- "Maksim".
Insecticides are used to control aphids and other pests:
- "Aktara";
- "Fitoverm";
- "Inta-Vir";
- "Colorado".
As a rule, one spray is enough, but sometimes 2-3 are required. Processing should be carried out completely, i.e. not only the victims, but also the healthy bushes of Madame de Verneville's peony.
Application in landscape
This variety of peony looks beautiful in single and group plantings. It can be combined with pink and red varieties, with roses, phlox and other flowers. The main applications in garden design look like this:
- Single landing.
- Placement in an open area.
- Another option for single landing.
Conclusion
Peony Madame de Verneville is a time-tested classic. This is an unpretentious, winter-hardy shrub that is quite easy to care for. Flowering is not very long, but spectacular. Judging by the reviews of gardeners, even an amateur can cope with cultivation.
Reviews from flower growers about the peony Madame de Verneville
