Green Garden Journal

Considered to be one of the most sought-after flowers in the garden, peonies are one of the most popular and well-loved flowers in the late Spring Garden.

 Flowering anywhere from late April through to June, their blousy inflorescences are often the favourite choice for cut flowers and wedding bouquets.

From double white blooms tinged with pink, soft lemons and every shade of pink to the deepest crimson, they fill the late Spring and early summer gap, providing much needed interest and colour. 

There are three main types of peonies to grow, woody tree peonies, herbaceous and intersectional which is a hybrid of the other two.

Peonies love a sunny position with well-drained, rich soil and it is advisable to support all plants to support the large flower heads.

Flowering for only a week to ten days, it is advisable to choose a mixture of early to late season varieties, ensuring you enjoy a succession of beautiful blooms for at least a month or so. 

Bare rooted herbaceous peonies can be planted from Autumn through to March or potted peonies can be planted in Spring.

They often require a couple of years before they produce any flowers and generally do not respond well to being moved.

With countless cultivars and a colour, shape and fragrance to suit every peony enthusiast, peonies are a definite must-have for anyone with a love for gardening or growing cut flowers.

A few stalwart favourites include the perennial Peony” Coral Sunset “which boasts large salmon pink flowers heads with fade to coral and yellow hues. ” Buckeye Belle“ another striking perennial has stunning deep red semi-double blooms with bright yellow stamens. 

Whether you have a substantial plot or a few pots on a balcony, peonies make a striking and beautiful addition to any space.