The Direct Emanation of the Moon

 I've said it before and I'll say it again:  Tradition in Chinese floral lore considers  the peony to be a direct emanation of the moon...

And I believe that too.  Especially the part about how they start out in such tight balls and end up to be something like one of the biggest flowers I have ever seen.  This one here is called coral charm and it also

radically changes color as it opens...starting out very true coral and changing to all shades of peach and pink and yellow.   That's an interesting signature for a plant - for it's flower to change color as it grows.

 

I'm keeping my fingers crossed that we'll have another two weeks of peony season.