Peonies get their groove back
Compact and colourful container varieties generating new wave of enthusiasm
Peonies are expected to make a big comeback this year, especially with the introduction of a whole new breed of compact “city” peonies, bred specifically for growing in containers. Some gardeners, enamoured of their beautiful flowers, nevertheless, get frustrated about the plant’s short blooming period, especially given the amount of space they take up. But after a spell of dubious disillusionment, gardeners have been wooed back to the glory of the peony by other factors — realizing for instance, that peonies are an undisputed and indispensable staple in a garden. Every garden needs a peony to complete its perfect picture.
Smart gardeners have also realized that by selecting a mix of varieties ( early- blooming hybrids plus later- blooming Japanese cultivars), the blooming period can be dramatically extended. There has also been a renaissance in thinking about how to plant peonies and combine them successfully with roses and summer- flowering bulbs and structural perennials to create a prolonged season of interest.
But what is driving the new wave of enthusiasm for peonies this spring is the availability of the new, compact, vigorous, floriferous “city” series. These are hardy garden peonies ( Paeonia lactiflora), that grow to only 12- inches ( 30- cm high) and perform impressively in containers, holding up flowers on strong, sturdy stems.
There are eight in total, all named after cities — Moscow, Rome, London, Madrid, Athens, Dublin, Kiev and Oslo — and produce flowers in mostly shades of red, white and pink.
Dutch suppliers are also describing these compact peonies as “deer resistant,” although gardeners living in deer- plagued areas, will disagree. However, Dutch experts assure me their tests have shown the peonies are resistant in most deer habitats.
Fortunately, most gardeners in deer districts have also learned to fence their gardens to keep deer at bay.
The beauty of these new, more compact city- peonies is that they can be grown in containers and placed on decks or balconies or protected patio spaces, inaccessible to deer.
In the garden, the best way to get the biggest bang for your buck is to plant a mix of early- blooming and later- blooming Japanese cultivars. These grow a little taller, between three feet ( 90- cm), and four feet ( 1.2 metres).
Top early- bloomers, such as Rosea Plena, Red Charm and Coral Sunset can be easily combined with later- blooming varieties, such as Gay Paree, Bowl of Beauty and Glowing Candles.
Old- fashioned favourites like the fluffy pink Sarah Bernhardt and soft red Karl Rosenfield are still available, but there are other fragrant multi- petalled bloomers worth checking out like Kirinmaru, Sorbet and Henry Bockstoce.
For those who love yellow flowers, there are Gold Mine and Yellow Crown, while the fragrant Japanese cultivars Moon of Nippon and Sword Dance, both have a soft ruffle of yellow stamens at the centre of the flowers.
Peonies will soon start to flood into garden centres. But this is a good time to walk your garden and make planting plans and check out some of these varieties ( colours and shapes), online.
If you’re keen to expand your peony collection, you’ll also want to consider Itoh peonies, sometimes called “intersectionals” — hybrids created with tree peonies and the standard garden varieties. This hybridizing has resulted in some unusual and more exotic colour breaks. Top cultivars include yellow Bartzella, pink Julia Rose and white Callie’s Memory.
Tree peonies would also make a nice addition to any garden. These have woody stems and grow into sturdy shrubs with a permanent wooden framework. Top Japanese cultivars are Shima- nishiki, Houki, Shimadaijin, and Renkaku.
Shrub and floribunda roses make ideal companions for peonies. Kordes roses, such as Brothers Grimm, Winter Sun, Wedding Bells, Souvenir de Baden Baden, and Archbishop Tutu are all worth adding to a peony border. Floribunda roses are a good choice because they are generally shorter and better minglers than hybrid teas.
Alliums, columbines, fritillaria, bluebells and lilies are good latespring and summer- flowering bulbs to pick along with peacock lilies ( Acidanthera), and bearded irises. As for perennials, Oriental poppies and foxgloves are always an easy fit.
Before planting your peonies take time to carefully explore your site options. Once they are planted, they don’t care to be disturbed. Pick a spot that has fertile, welldrained soil and enjoys full sun with some late- afternoon shade.
The biggest mistake new gardeners make is to plant too deeply.
Getting the planting depth right is fairly crucial with peonies. Plant them only two to three inches ( 5 or 6 cm), below the surface of the soil. If you plant a lot deeper, you risk not getting many flowers.