What's a gardener to do when April/May showers take away the flowers?

My gardening comrade, Juan V, was here this past Wednesday (5-7-14). He took this aerial view of my garden and I have a concern re the flowers on my Tree Peony (indicated with an arrow in the lower left).

Over a dozen of this shrub's flowers opened this past Wednesday, but since heavy rains with thunderstorms were predicted for that evening — and did come — in full force both then as well as throughout Thursday (5-8-14), I have brought my Tree Peony into my apartment so the heavy rains would knock off its flowers.*
I have no awning in my garden to use to protect any flora, and umbrella placement is something I've thought of, but securing it in high winds (such as we've had in NYC) would be problematic.
Heavy rains are predicted for today (Friday) as well as tomorrow which means I should not take my shrub outside until Saturday.
ALL the flowers were knocked off my peony in heavy rains last year* (and they had only been here two days)! This is the reason I brought the peony inside, but the dryness in NYC apartments will not be to good for my dear shrub! I'm concerned about my peony's ability to survive inside even though I have put it in a good place for it.
Any suggestions as to what I might do? Other than that I go outside and stand over it with an umbrella?
*http://www.thelastleafgardener.com/2013/05/where-have-all-peonies-gone.html
  4 answers
  • Beth Alaimo Beth Alaimo on May 09, 2014
    I think your peony will probably be fine for another day or two inside. Just kept it near the window for light and away from any source of heat.
    • TheLastLeafGardener TheLastLeafGardener on May 13, 2014
      @Beth Alaimo I truly appreciated your weighing in with your comment and thoughts and am sorry to be just be getting back to you in four days time. Four days seems an eternity in these cyber times, but, perhaps it is in gardens too! My garden has changed drastically in less than a week (when the aerial view I posted with my question was taken) and I plan to post something about the situation on HT this afternoon. (One of the things that has changed is that my tree peony's flowers are all gone, and the shrub shows very little evidenced of having flowered!) To follow-up on your comment re my question: Due to the heavy rains in NYC, I did keep my tree peony inside from the evening of May 7th until the morning of May 11th. I kept it near the door to my garden as it is the place in my home that has the most light. As far as keeping it away from a heat source, that was a bit more tricky. In NYC, many apartment dwellers (such as yours truly) do not control their heat which is dry, steam heat. The heating systems go on and off automatically according to some external timer, but I don't think it came on during the time period the peony was inside my home. In any event, on the morning of May 11th, the first day of no rain since the seventh (although rain has now returned), I took a picture of my tree peony (seen here) just before I took it outside. As you can see I have a big step leading to my garden and I confess that it was difficult to take it up the step as I feared breaking the container or damaging the petals which were already beginning to drop! BTW, I notice you live in NY as well, how has your garden faired in this weather?
  • Douglas Hunt Douglas Hunt on May 10, 2014
    I'm with Beth. I don't think a few days inside will hurt your tree peony. You could always set the pot on a tray filled with pebbles and water to try to increase the humidity.
    • See 2 previous
    • TheLastLeafGardener TheLastLeafGardener on May 19, 2014
      @Douglas Hunt Dried Beans? What a good idea.Thanks! Using chard made things bit unsteady. But alas, the blooms are fading away, but I still find them beautiful. The attached pictures show how they appeared yesterday. But all was not gloomy, as I stated in a recent entry on HT, my flora is very Shakespearean, having their entrances and exits! For as the peony was ib the process of saying goodbye for the spring/summer season, the H.F. Clematis burst into buds and flowers (see attached images). Once again, thanks again for weighing in on m content with your thoughts, comments and suggestions. I truly appreciate it. AND Thanks for introducing me to the Viburnum suspensum.
  • Carol B Carol B on May 11, 2014
    In a rainstorm, can you form a shelter for the peonies from your chairs and table? Perhaps stretch a piece of plastic across the tops of two chairs and place the peonies underneath?
    • TheLastLeafGardener TheLastLeafGardener on May 13, 2014
      @Carol B That's a good idea but I don't think it would have worked in this instance. But I may try it (putting tarp above a few chairs to create a canopy) as an experiment for next time, but my peony's flowers are now gone. )-; I hope to post a "story" related to this (sometime today) on HT. Thanks for taking the time to weigh in on my dilemma.
  • Gretchen Gretchen on May 11, 2014
    This is the first year in five that it looks like I may see my peonies! Usually the week they decide they will open is the week we have a full week of rain. Your peony should be fine inside right now - you could mist when you water it but especially if your heat is not on, it will be ok. Do you have a peony cage for it? I put cages on early in the spring, just as the plants start to grow. I also put cages on other kinds of plants if they are likely to flop. The cages won't prevent the flowers from being damaged but they will help the branches stay upright under the weight of heavy, maybe wet, flowers.
    • TheLastLeafGardener TheLastLeafGardener on May 13, 2014
      @Gretchen I think I understand your circumstances re peonies deciding to open during the onset of a full week of rain! A couple of years ago my gardening comrade came over and we transplanted my Beech Tree. It was verrrrrrrrrry sunny that morning and he went up to the roof to take aerial photos of the transplanted Beech Tree and the peony which had just bloomed in full force, sporting gorgeous flowers. That afternoon the weather changed drastically to heavy rains and knocked all the flowers off my tree peony. Moreover, I accidentally deleted his images and had no record of my tree peony flowering that year! Your suggestion of cages sounds worth trying and I plan to do that, although I am not handy. Writing, not DIY stuff, is my strength and if you'd like to read what I've stated about tree peonies in bygone years, I have entries on blogger @http://www.thelastleafgardener.com/search/label/Paeonia%20suffruiticosa%20%28Tree%20Peony%29