I love these most feminine of flowers, the haute couture of the horticultural imagination; generous, full blown, exquisite and ephemeral.
They may look fragile and they have a reputation for being difficult to grow but put them in the right place and they are the least demanding of princesses and will go on giving selflessly for up to sixty years. There are five main types to choose from:
Paeonia lactiflora
These are pretty much the daddy of all peonies and were brought to Britain in the mid 18th century. They are native to central and eastern Asia from eastern Tibet across northern China to eastern Siberia and were very popular with the Edwardians who called them Chinese Peonies.
This one is ‘Nippon Beauty’ which is popular at the moment.
Paeonia officinalis
This is the common garden variety much loved in the mixed cottage-garden look. It is a hardy perennial growing to about 24 inched high and is native to France, Italy and Switzerland. Plant it in a sunny position in free-draining soil and it will do the business for a short but glorious time every year.
This is a lovely example – Peony officinalis ‘Rosea Plena’
Tree Peony
Tree peonies have woody branches, from which lax herbaceous stems grow, producing single or double flowers. White, pink, deep red and peach-petalled varieties are available, as well as yellows. This type of peony needs to be sheltered from cold, drying winds.
So gorgeous! These tall leggy blondes are aptly named ‘High Noon’.
Paeonia mlokosewitschii
Molly the witch, as it’s commonly known – you can see how that’s easier to pronounce than ‘mlokosewitschii’ – produces new, grey-green foliage with a touch of pink, early in the year. This provides the perfect foil for the lemon-coloured flowers, packed with golden anthers and opening from fat, spherical buds. Easy to grow in dappled shade or sun.
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