Agriculture

A couple of weeks ago, in mid-April, one of the prettiest flowers in the garden started to bloom. This great, cut-leaf Japanese peony, Paeonia tenuifolia, opened its simple ruby-colored petals to reveal bright yellow stamen.

The finely cut foliage, reminiscent of the most finely cut foliage of a Japanese maple, allows the plant to be interesting in the mixed border the rest of the growing season, too.

There are four peony classifications based on bloom type:

You can get annuals and perennials to enhance your home gardens from the county’s own Shelby County Master Gardeners this weekend.

The folks who bring the Saturday morning Farmers’ Market at the Shelby County Fairgrounds from April to October will host their Art and Garden Fair this Saturday, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the fairgrounds.

The event is free, but plants and other items will be for sale.

June 1 is the official cutoff that marks the difference between a spring bloomer and a summer bloomer. Does it matter that you know? Yes, if you want to prune properly, because pruning after June 1 could result in no blooms next year.

This spring was a great one for spring bloomers: lilacs, viburnums, azaleas, rhododendrons and many others were all able to do their thing without a major frost or freeze here at the farm.

Robertson to kick off new

sale venture in Shelbyville

With the famed auction house Tattersalls closing its doors in Lexington Jimmy Robertson, a longtime Saddlebred breeder and trainer, said he started thinking about filling that gap. The auctions had become largely Saddlebred during the past few years, with fewer and fewer Standardbreds being offered at the Teaters’ auctions.