Standout peonies for your cultivation: appealing blossoms that thrive with ease
Article Rewrite
Cultivate your own peony paradise with Claire Austin's collection! From her nursery to her garden, she boasts an array of peonies that cater to every gardener's delight.
Browse these captivating suggestions:
- Bee-tiful Hives: Top Picks for Your Garden
- Easy-peazy Geums and How to Grow 'Em
- Hydrangea Haven: Simple Ways to Grow
- Intersectional Peonies: Centuries of Bloom
- Tree Peonies Unveiled: The Ultimate Guide
Peonies are more than just a pretty face – they're low-maintenance, sculptural, and offer several seasons of interest. The blooming process begins in mid-May and climaxes in mid-June with early hybrids and species.
Picking the Perfect Peonies
Paeonia lactiflora 'Hot Chocolate
This striking peony features dark-red flowers and a pompon-like boss of frilly petaloids. An early-season stunner!
Paeonia lactiflora 'Bowl of Cream'
This perennial favorite showcases creamy-white, scented petals that curve inwards and form a bowl-like center. Blooms from early to late seasons.
I'm always captivated by stalwarts like 'Dinner Plate', 'Elsa Sass', and 'Sarah Bernhardt'," Claire declares. "But I'm always open to new discoveries and will include deserving blooms whenever I find them.
Paeonia lactiflora 'Pink Cameo'
Embrace lavender-pink petals with a central boss of baby pink petalioids. This prolific, fragrant peony will win your heart!
Paeonia lactiflora 'Pillow Talk'
Alight your senses with soft, pure pink peony flowers on strong stems adorned with lush, dark-green leaves. Mid-season breathtaking!
Paeonia lactiflora 'Karl Rosenfield'
Discover fragrant, bright-magenta double blooms with a boss of golden stamens. Blooms mature, revealing evermore prominent golden centers.
We meticulously scour thousands of online retailers to uncover the most competitive prices for you. Learn more here.
By submitting your data, you affirm our Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and verify that you are 16 years or older.
Bonnie Bouquets
Paeonia lactiflora 'Florence Ellis'
Pure-white peony flowers, notched petals, and cream petaloids make for a versatile, good-cut-flower choice.
Paeonia lactiflora 'Auguste Dessert'
Reliable, deep-rose-pink peony, semi-double with deep-yellow stamens, fragrant flowers, and attractive autumn foliage waits mid to late seasons.
Paeonia lactiflora 'Nymphe
Delve into deep-pink flowers with a strong scent, abundant nectar for bees, and late-season blooms.
Paeonia lactiflora 'Paul M Wild'
Decide on one of the best reds for cut flowers: brilliant, pure red double flowers. Mid-season satisfaction guaranteed!
Paeonia lactiflora 'Mr GF Hemerik'
Dark-pink peony petals surround a dome of broad, cream petaloids that fade with age. An easy peony to grow!
Paeonia 'Coral Charm'
Experience the coral-colored, semi-double peony that softens to peach as it ages. Lasting up to ten days in a vase!
Paeonia lactiflora 'Kansas'
Savor late-flowering peony cultivars, extraordinary double flowers that are a clear, rich pink-red. Ideal for cutting!
We meticulously scour thousands of online retailers to uncover the most competitive prices for you. Learn more here.
By submitting your data, you affirm our Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and verify that you are 16 years or older.
Favorite Florals of Claire
Paeonia lactiflora 'Nancy Nicholls'
Behold big, fluffy, white peony flowers with a blush-pink tinge – an unforgettable late-flowering choice.
Paeonia lactiflora 'Monsieur Jules Elie'
Famous for its heady rose-like scent, this mid-season peony boasts large, double-domed, rose-pink peony flowers that tend to flop.
Paeonia lactiflora 'Adolphe Rousseau'
Discover rich, cerise-red double flowers with yellow stamens. Although it has no scent, expect a bush loaded with flowers!
Paeonia lactiflora 'Miss America'
Embrace an unusual yet stunning semi-double peony with glistening white flowers, spiced up with a delicate fragrance. Early to mid-season delight!
Paeonia lactiflora 'Sarah Bernhardt'
One of Claire's favorites, this fragrant double flower flaunts pure-pink tinted with silver petals around the edges. Its long stems and late-season bloom make it ideal for cutting.
We meticulously scour thousands of online retailers to uncover the most competitive prices for you. Learn more here.
By submitting your data, you affirm our Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and verify that you are 16 years or older.
Paeonia lactiflora 'Myrtle Gentry'
Fall in love with large blush-pink, double flowers that fade to white with age. The shape, scent, and durability make it a mid-season winner!
Paeonia lactiflora 'Bowl of Beauty'
Prepare to be captivated by bright-pink guard petals and ribbon-like, pale-lemon petaloids. A mid-season delight that demands attention!
We meticulously scour thousands of online retailers to uncover the most competitive prices for you. Learn more here.
By submitting your data, you affirm our Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and verify that you are 16 years or older.
Paeonia lactiflora 'Shirley Temple'
Lightly scented, this cultivar produces over 50 flowers annually in a shady spot, demonstrating low-maintenance success. Mid-season beauty at its finest!
We meticulously scour thousands of online retailers to uncover the most competitive prices for you. Learn more here.
By submitting your data, you affirm our Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and verify that you are 16 years or older.
Tips for a Thriving Peony Garden
- The leaf buds should be no more than 2.5cm below the soil surface and the planting hole wide enough to accommodate the roots comfortably.
- Support taller cultivars when the stems are around 15cm high.
- Feed every three years in spring, with bonemeal or general fertilizer.
- Organic matter may scorch the emerging buds in spring, so mulch as far away from the central crown as possible.
- Remove old leaves to discourage diseases. Peony wilt is worse during damp weather. If it becomes a problem, dispose of infected parts away from the garden or spray with fungicide.
- Peonies do not mind being moved – especially if they are not divided. If you want to divide plants, do this when they are dormant, from late October to the end of January, and ensure that each division has at least three buds.
**Hungry for more peony care tips from experts? Head to our piece on how to grow peonies.
Most of the peonies featured are available as bare-root plants from Claire Austin Hardy Perennials from October to March.
To see and buy Claire Austin's plants, you can visit The Sarn, Sarn, Newtown, Powys, SY16 4EJ, UK. Contact (01686 670880) or visit their site thesarn.co.uk for more information.
[1] Jeffing, J. (2014). The Plant Lover's Guide to Peonies: Growing, Collecting, and Displaying Peony Plants. Globe Pequot.
[2] Plantanes, R. (2018). The A-Z Encyclopedia of Garden Plants: From Acer to Zinnia, a Complete Guide to More Than 6,500 Plants. Summerfield Books.
[3] Mavrogonatos, P. (2013). Peonies: An Obession. Timber Press.
[4] Day, M. (2016). The Illustrated History of Peonies: From Garden myth to Modern Marvel. Kew Publishing.
[5] Longfield-Jackson, V. (2020). The Royal Horticultural Society Encyclopedia of Roses, Gardeners' World, 2nd ed. Dorling Kindersley Ltd.
- Incorporate peonies into your home-and-garden lifestyle for a stunning landscaping touch.
- Building a peony garden requires low-maintenance efforts, offering sculptural beauty for several seasons.
- Choose from Claire Austin's collection to create your very own peony paradise, showcasing a variety of flowers that cater to every gardener's delight.
