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by Sharon Malm Read

If I could come back as a flower—it would surely be a peony. Probably a thick white blossom or maybe a deep pink one.

But a white peony would be my first choice. The scent is so lovely and to look at the petal formation and arrangement—it takes your breath away.

I have planted three in my present garden. Deer came along and ate some of the buds off the top of the plants. I have a small tree peony with two buds on it. I am trying to protect it by spraying it, religiously, with a deer repellent.

I am going to paint an oil study of peonies—but my hunch is I won’t be able to capture the tremendous beauty of such a delight. Whenever I go by a peony plant in my garden I speak lovingly to the plant and assure it of my admiration and intention to protect it from the deer.