By : Jennifer Brodeur

By the time the fourth summer arrives, being a peony farmer reveals its true meaning. Patience isn’t just a virtue, it’s the entire craft. The first year is all promise and fragile roots. The second teaches restraint. The third offers glimpses. And then the fourth summer, the field finally exhales into bloom.

Hillcrest Farm sits right in our backyard on Tibbits Hill in Knowlton a south-facing field that catches the morning sun just so. This June, we’re expecting over 15,000 blooms, and we couldn’t be more excited to share them.

A Few Spring Essentials

Much of what makes June spectacular happens in the quiet weeks before. Each spring, we clear last year’s foliage to prevent fungal issues, pull mulch back from the crowns (eyes should sit no more than 1–2 inches below the surface), apply a light low-nitrogen fertilizer once shoots emerge, and stake plants early peony blooms are heavy, and a rainstorm can flatten a perfect flower fast.

Deer resistant? Yes. Deer consistently leave our peonies alone, likely due to their fragrance and foliage making them not just beautiful, but wonderfully practical for rural gardens.

Looking Ahead to Fall

Looking ahead to fall: We’re already planning new plantings this fall varieties chosen for fragrance, stem strength, longevity, and their anti-inflammatory properties for our skincare line. There’s something humbling about roots that won’t bloom for three more years. That’s the peony farmer’s way.

June Mornings in the Peony Field

There is nothing quite like a June sunrise over our peony field the light cresting, burning off the fog, coaxing colour up from the rows one by one: soft blush, ivory, coral, deep wine. Peonies return stronger each year with roots that can live for generations, they may well outlive the farmers who tend them. This year, harvesting feels less like taking and more like participating.