9 of the best Peonies
Herbaceous ‘Bowl of Beauty’
With flowers resembling sea anemones and a heady scent,. this variety makes the perfect cut flower.
Height 1m; spread 80cm
‘Buckeye Belle’
Often in bloom mid-may, each sumptuous bloom has striking, blood-red, velvety petals and contrasting golden stamens Height & spread 90cm
‘Sarah Bernhardt’
One of the most fragrant, with excellent autumn leaf colour, this late-blooming peony is hugely popular as a cut flower.
Height 1m; spread 90cm
Intersectional ‘Pastel Splendor’
Flowers start out cream with raspberry-red centres, then turn to sunset tones, with peaches and apricots coming through. Height and spread 80cm
‘Yankee Doodle Dandy’
A dense, bushy, late-flowering plant with semi-double blooms in pink-and-magenta and prominent golden stamens. Height and spread 90cm
‘Cora Louise’
Pure-white petals with splashes of magenta at the base surrounding a ring of gold. Flowers open in June.
Height and spread 90cm
Tree peonies Delavay’s tree peony
The garnet-red single flowers nestle among branches of lush, green foliage like sparkling jewels. This is a little taller than some hybrids.
Height 2m; spread 1.5m
‘Yachiyo-tsubaki’
Quickly forms an attractive shrub with smoky-bronze foliage and candy floss-pink flowers. Winter stems have pink tinges for year round appeal. Height and spread 90cm
Ludlow’s tree peony
With an abundance of large, bright-yellow, cup-shaped blooms in May, this peony also has delicate, apple-green leaves. Makes a great centrepiece. Height 3m; spread 2m