Six of the finest

Paeonia x suffruticosa ‘Hakushin’

This fully double, pure-white tree peony has enormous flowers, like giant snowballs, with divided glossy green foliage. It’s not strongly scented, but is vigorous without being too tall, and the centre of the flower opens to soft pale pink. Mid to late season; 4ft by 3ft

Paeonia x suffruticosa ‘Yachiyotsubaki’ (Eternal Camellias)

Mr White’s personal favourite and a mainstay of his floral pavilion displays. This looks good throughout the year, thanks to the purplish stems and smoky, crimson-tinted foliage, and there are plenty of warm-pink, cupped blooms with silky petals. Vigorous and dependable. Mid to late; 4ft by 3ft

Paeonia x suffruticosa ‘Renkaku’ (Flight of Cranes)

This floriferous, elegant tree peony has slender stems that move and sway. The ruffled, pure-white flowers have a glistening, translucent quality that display a golden boss of stamens as they open. The young foliage has attractive crimson tints. Mid; 4ft by 3ft

Paeonia x lemoinei ‘High Noon’

A strong, American-bred tree peony, raised by A. P. Saunders and released in 1952, the year of the eponymous film. One of the few clear-yellows this has trios of sweetly scented, smaller, semi-double flowers containing a blood-red flare. It doesn’t get too leggy, flowers for longer than most and it can re-bloom. Early to mid; 5ft by 4ft

Paeonia x suffruticosa ‘Taiyo’ (The Sun)

An eye-catching vermillion-red flower with steely-blue glaucous foliage. The heads aren’t huge, but they open slowly on a vigorous plant and they’re lightly fragrant. The fuzzy anthers, in the centre of each bloom, are a deep gold. Early to mid; 4ft by 39in

Paeonia x suffruticosa ‘Shimaneseidai’

A tried-and-tested multi-stemmed tree peony with raspberry-pink flowers and paler-pink highlights that look almost silver in full sun. Good dissected foliage. Mid; 5ft by 4ft