120 peonies? I'm *definitely* coming during peony season. I've got less than a dozen, but now I realize that that's just not enough. Do you divide them occasionally, and, if so, does that work well for you? I've read that they can only be divided in fall; I haven't been brave enough to try it yet.

Anyway, this sounds like a good way to hold up floppy plants without spending a fortune on the green wire cages. I found some inexpensive cages at Ocean State Job Lot this spring, but they have only 2 rings, which isn't really ideal. I was thinking of adding some twine to the tops to make them work a little better; I have a long-standing feud with chicken wire. It always seems to end up in a twist, maybe because of my bad attitude towards it.

Besides peonies, I really need to use cages on Nepeta six hills giant, which flops something fierce in my garden; and I guess it's getting to be time to get out there and get those installed.

Thanks Mindy for that recipe for a peony support. You will laugh, but I only have one peony..lol. I just got it at the fall swap last year and was tickled that it came back this spring. It was young, so I don't expect bloom this year. I don't even know what kind it is. I did put a tomato cage over it, but I didn't cut it down or use chicken wire. I think your idea would work better. I can see this tomato cage 'as is' is too tall. I just left it there for the time being so I wouldn't walk into the peony which is pretty small right now.

I wonder if using the chicken wire leaves any sharp edges? Do you use anything to attach the chicken wire? You must buy your tomato cages in bulk, where do you get so many? Since I only have one peony so far, I think I might try DtD's idea of using twine to criss cross the top of the tomato cage instead of the chicken wire. Especially since I don't have any. [g] I can see that with so many, your chicken wire would work out better than tying off all that twine.

DtD, I struggle with supporting plants and really have tried to stay clear from as many plants as possible that need it. This year I am going to have a few more plants that will need support..Hollyhocks and Delphiniums, that I just bought more stakes for. I picked up a Nepeta Walker's Low last year and wonder if that will be better in that respect from the Six Hills Giant. Maybe Christmas Tree Shops might have some supports that would be reasonably priced?

BTW, Mindy, I did start those Brugsmania from seed and I have about 4 little seedlings now. One is about a foot high that I started early, and the others are just new seedlings right now. I lost a batch in between the first sowing and this last one. It will be interesting to see how they do this year. I guess I shouldn't expect bloom this year.

I was going to include a photo of the brugsmania seedling but I can't figure out how to post a photo here any more.

I also planned on coming to see your garden last year and was not able to. I hope I will be able to see all those peonies this year. They sound wonderful!

:-)