My Peonies are wilting in the heat

The sunlight is powerful today. While the temperature is offically 33.6*C at Moss Vale (about 25 Km away), the humidity is a mere 20%, which is sucking the moisture out of the leaves of my Peonies.

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I had always known that growing cold climate plants in Robertson was a bit of an experiment. But Robertson is famous for its cooling sea breezes, which are said to roll in from about 2:00 pm. Not this week they aren't. The prevailing breezes are north-westerlies, bringing in pre-heated air from the hot dry parts of the country. And these are just breezes, not those dessicating hot dry winds, which can occur.

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I had been attempting to grow the Peonies without any supplementary watering, but today their leaves are just shrivelling up, before my eyes. They may have already incurred permanent damage. Bugger. I have waited too long, obviously.

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I was trying to be "water-wise", in this hot dry land in which we live. I have now weakened and resorted to some hand watering. But is it too late, already? Can I continue to grow these plant here?

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Prior to next summer, I shall experiment with a more cunning strategy of growing a hedge of Kangaroo Apple (Solanum aviculare) in order to protect the Peonies from the strong sunlight (and dry winds). Failing that, the Peonies will all have to move to a "morning sun only" area, close to the rainforest. But I don't have much suitable land at present, until my shade trees (planted 18 months ago) grow taller. It is tough, balancing the conflicting demands of plants and the environment. Obviously one should grow endemic plants.

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Damn, we don't have any local Peony species.