I’m very excited for my peonies to bloom. I love the scent. And, as is my habit, I have several varieties because, once I decided I like them, I got very enthusiastic about the possibilities.

I noticed ants on them this week and remembered a friend wanting to be sure any she had weren’t planted near the house because they encourage ants. And someone else told me that peonies require ants’ activity to bloom.

Since it was on my mind, I looked it up.

What I learned is that peonies provide a sticky nectar on the outside of their buds which encourages ants to keep other, detrimental insects from bothering them. Ants are not needed for the buds to open and they are not pollinators. They are simply protectors.