i would love to see some photos!

Wow, how creative. I'd like to see a photo too. My delphiniums are always flopping over.

I would love to see some pictures, too! My dahlias fall over and this sounds like a great way to keep them away from the lawn mower.

sorry, no dig.camera as yet.
best, mindy

I cut a circle of chicken wire the size of the footprint of the peony and lay it on the plant early in the spring before it's new growth starts. the buds will come up thru the chicken wire. Prior to the blooms weighing the whole thing to tip over, I shove a piece of bamboo (which grows in my yard - so it's free!) thru to hold the whole thing up. Works great and it's cheap. Only thing I'm not really thrilled about is looking at the chicken wire before the new growth covers it - but it's not for very long.

eileen grow, i'm intrigued but confused. how can ONE stake hold up an entire square of chicken wire? does the chicken wire rest on the top of a skinny piece of bamboo? and before we even GET to that step, is it AFTER the peonies have pretty well leafed out that you raise up the ch.wire square to rest it on peony leaves to keep it from falling down?
thanks, mindy

I love the chair idea! It's absolutely brilliant. Yep - I think I can do that. My dahlias are grwing around the post that the satellite dish is attached to. A couple of chairs backed up to the post wouldn't look bad at all.