I can't add anything productive, peonies just barely do it here, too hot. My experience with those growing peonies is that the perversity of the universe mandates a heavy rain as soon as the large floppy blooms are fully open :(

Look for ones with the Landscape Merit designation as they are more likely to stay upright. http://americanpeonysociety.org/awards/award-of-landscape-merit

There is unquestionably always a heat spell that dislodges the delicate petals before the heavy rains finnish them off. Murphy's law#1383

Yes, nice to see someone from the area. Lovely photos and garden. Baptisia is a nice complement to your peony, Karl. Is that Therese Bugnet rose in the back? Up till last year I got all my previous peonies from friends or unnamed group packs and ended up with 5 out of 6 heavy headed pale pinks, I think the 6th was Karl Roenfeld or something very similar because I never have any problems with that very deep coloured one. Of course it's the one that's not very visible due to the location. It's still full and lovely but either sheds the rain or just doesn't have the weight to make them droop, like the oh so heavy pale pinks I own.

I love the foliage and form of your Early Scout, although I'm not a fan of red in my garden. I have used the heavy peony cages (like a tomato cage but wider and higher) and also in good years the Patrick Lima way of 4 stakes banded several times to flower height. Having my hubby make me nicer stakes now.

Page wire? Never heard of it. Is it self supporting enough on it's own or do you use stakes with i?

Thank you Mary! Unfortunately not Therese Bugnet. I had it for many years in another spot and lost it a few years ago. I miss her. The rose is one of the Explorer roses, Jens Munk. I wish I had nice things to say about it but it suckers quite aggressively. On the up side it is a very clean rose. No pest or disease issues.

Yes I also use 4 bamboo stakes and band them with old pantyhose for a variety of plants. I will have to revisit The Harrowsmith Perennial Garden by Patrick Lima - it was one of the first gardening books I bought, thanks for the reminder!

I hope they keep breeding and come out with other colours. I love red but understand it is not for every ones taste

The page wire is self supporting, no stakes required.

Page wire is used for fencing and should be available at any farm supply or maybe Ritchie Feed and Seed carries it. Whoa I just checked and TSC has rolls of something similar for about $300 dollars 47" by 330'. They call it field fence. Someone must have it in smaller sections. Know any farmers?

Wonderful. I see a market for these.

Just as maifleur01 said look into Landscape Merit varieties. If you need peonies for landscape you can also benefit greatly from Itoh peonies, but generally they are not great cut flowers though. Old Faithful herbaceous is as tough as it can get.

Get some peony supports from Song Sparrow Nursery.

OK, back to the topic. Anyone else on experience with Neon or Bowl of beauty?

The peonies that were here when we bought this house back in 1999 look similar to Bowl of Beauty - but I'm not sure if that is what they are. They did flop badly so I made support rings for them with copper pipes, copper tubing and copper T connectors. That allowed me to support them at the height I wanted - I didn't want them stiffly upright but to have them 'fountain' without going 'splat' on the ground :-) They are vigorous and floriferous plants that are a key part of the driveway border and the front garden - but all the peonies we have bought are single that don't need support....!

Some pictures:

materials to make the copper peony rings:

Me assembling rings:

A friend who was helping me, showing an almost-completed ring:

A ring around a peony in early spring (the copper turned brown and became almost invisible within a year or so. This picture was from the first year so the ring is still shiny copper. You can adjust the height of the support by making the pipes longer or not pounding them into the ground as deeply):

Peonies in the rings in bloom - you can see that I've placed the support at a height that still allows the flowers to arch downward - but keeps them from totally sprawling on the ground.

My favorite single peony - Aunty Sherry:

Bowl of Beauty is currently on sale at Bluestone for $7 (clearance).

green tomato cages work great as supports

I have 150 peonies and growing. I'm adicted. Having so many I chose to let some fall a bit. I am a looker and a wanderer therefore I pick when I have too. Yes, rain. But, then my house smells great and the flowers. They speak for them selves. Bowl of beauty I don't have surprisingly nor neon. One absolutely medium hard rain proof is a large Japanese called Krinkle white. I have never staked her and she is a large wide bush. When purchasing I would advise you to check several growers pictures. They often differ in color. Choose the ones that match up for viewing. Then put the name of the peony into your computer and learn it's habit. As one of the other commentors posted, look for the word landscape. Swensen will often tell you this feature. If you only have 2 plants staking isn't hard. I have some very heavy double bomb with side buds. The plants sometimes grow 4 1/2 feet tall I don't try to hold it. I take garden twine, a stake and secure each heavy stem individually to the stake positioning the flower where I choose. I also will have to support low and cross higher. The type of peony you chose to grow will depend on if you mind staking or not. I have 10 garden beds. One of my favorites is Loves Touch. Huge bush, large flower,sudebuds, but heavy. I never mind staking. There a so so many to chose from. I guess a question for you would be why did you purchase these two peonies? Or are you thinking about it. These plants can be focal points as well. I've chattered alot. If you find one you are interested in. Contact me I may have it. My friend 3 miles away is very close to owning 300 peonies. I think between us we could give you ideas or show it to you. Happy hunting. If I can help more. Just ask.

Small interjection: Thank you peren.all! I am in love with your caging technique that you suggested. It really helped me this season, and now that i know about it, I will get it done earlier next year. I've set aside the materials I used this year, ready for next!

Back to those beauties that I admire, but don't have space for. Gorgeous photos all!

I just thought of a few nice and sturdy. Lemon chiffon, ursa miner, coral charm, pink Hawian coral, abalone pearl pretty well, sunny girl, the bomb red charm does surprisingly well and is a wow, port royal, celebrity, gay patee, lullaby coos, do tell is a real Beaty, Heidi, Kringle white is outstanding the best white ever in the rain. Go to Swenson. They have a whole explanatory section of landscapers. They are quality roots. though lord Calvin is a flop beautiful without rain, and Laura desert leans over a lot. I have several more from them but those are a few that do well for me in a some what strong rain. I don’t know to many that can stand really heavy but Kringle.Have fun.