best OF THE bunch
They’re hungry, fussy and demanding, but the big, blousy blooms of herbaceous peonies are worth the investment, says HELEN YOUNG
What’s the most luscious flower you can think of? For me it’s the peony, and what makes it even more desirable is its brief flowering season and difficulty to grow. These coveted blooms, which are said to look like ‘roses as big as cabbages’, are a favourite of spring brides, as they symbolise happy relationships, fortune and honour. They've been revered in the cultures of China and Japan for thousands of years, and in China they are called ‘the king of flowers’.
Keep an eye out for these voluptuous cut flowers from late October through December, but expect to pay a premium for them. Sourced fresh from Australian growers, they should last for two weeks in the vase, if you replenish the water every day and keep them in a cool spot.
If you’d like to try growing them yourself, then you should know that peonies demand cold winters. Think Tasmania, and the highlands and mountain areas of Victoria, South Australia and New South Wales, usually above 500m elevation. They are a herbaceous perennial, which means the whole plant dies down in winter, and its stems are soft, not woody. In fact, the stems usually need staking to support the enormous flowers. They form a rounded bush about 1m high and wide that has handsome, divided leaves. Bare-rooted tubers are sold in autumn – that’s the best time to plant, because unlike most plants, peonies have active root growth in autumn and winter. The thick brown tubers should have three to five ‘eyes’ – small, reddish buds near the top. While bare-rooted plants can take a few years to settle in and flower well, they can live up to 100 years.
Once established, peonies hate being disturbed, so take the time to select the best possible location. They will need full sun, wind protection and deep, fertile, humus-rich, moist soil that drains freely, away from tree-root competition. For each plant, prepare a 1m-wide planting area, mixing in cow and pelletised chicken manures, compost and garden lime to bring the pH to 7–7.5. The lime supplies essential calcium, too, but if your soil is already alkaline, use gypsum.
Lesley Crowden, of Kaydale Lodge Gardens in Tasmania, where they grow peonies for both cut flowers and plant sales, says peonies are rich feeders.
“We have never seen an overfed peony,” she laughs. “They enjoy plenty of lime, compost and are big fans of potash