I suppose it is possible to get tired of herbaceous garden peonies or Paeonia lactiflora, but most of us will never get that chance, because peony season is short and sweet. If you have the space and inclination, you can prolong it by making conscious decisions about including early, middle and late season varieties in your beds and borders, but even those strategies are stopgaps.
Seventeenth century poet Robert Herrick, said this about roses:
“Gather ye Rose-buds while ye may,
Old Time is still a-flying:
And this same flower that smiles to day,
To morrow will be dying.”
The same thing could be said of peonies, so the best advice is to revel in peonies, pick them for bouquets and inhale the scent of fragrant varieties as soon as the flowers open. If you wait too long—especially if spring days grow very warm—the petals will be gone.
I adore all peonies and that love affair has only grown more intense as I have logged in years as a gardener. Being a lover of antiques, I am drawn to heirloom varieties, especially those opulent bloomers introduced in the nineteenth century. That doesn’t mean that I limit myself to those; I simply appreciate varieties that have stood the test of time.
Of course, the word “time” with peonies is relative. Cultivated in China since at least the eighth century, they made their way to Japan and eventually west to Europe and North America. The roots have been used medicinally, even as the flowers have been appreciated for their enduring beauty. Writers have praised them, and the likes of Monet and many others have painted them. Most of the peonies available in commerce today are hybrids of the lactiflora genus, and many of the oldest and best-loved hybrids are still available to anyone with an internet connection and a credit card.
French breeders played key roles in nineteenth century peony breeding, and, in fact, many of the best, most romantic rose, peony, iris and lilac introductions came out of that country. France suffered through a number of wars, revolutions and uprisings as the century progressed. Clearly they bred wonderful plants in between those bouts of hostility.
Probably the best-known and best-loved antique peony is the gorgeous ‘Festiva Maxima’, introduced in 1851. I grow it in my front garden from a root that was given to me by a garden friend who was moving away. It is a big, white, double rose-form peony with flecks of red on some of its snowy petals. It is the original “good grower”, requiring a minimum of care beyond deadheading. As one peony aficionado wrote on the Help Me Find Peonies website, ‘Festiva Maxima’ is “just so damn elegant.”
‘Couronne d’Or’ or ‘Crown of Gold’ is another great French white variety, introduced in 1873. The gold in the name comes from the golden undertones that highlight the petals. The big double blooms are also reputed to be sweetly scented. Another white variety, ‘Duchess de Nemours’ features pale cream-yellow at the heart of each flower. It was introduced in France in 1856. Apparently the English felt the name was a little too Gallic, so the variety was christened ‘Mrs. Gwyn Lewis’ when it was introduced there by Kelways Nursery.
If you are looking for an herbaceous peony that is even closer to yellow, try ‘Madame Marie Lemoine’, introduced in France in 1869. It is also fragrant.
If rose-hued antiques are your preference, there are some wonderful varieties out there. ‘Madame Ducel’, introduced in 1880, features lots of rose to lilac-pink petals in a bombe-type configuration, set off by relatively dark foliage. ‘Sarah Bernhardt’, as dramatic as its celebrated actress namesake, is a deeper shade of rose-pink with a pronounced fragrance. It is a late Victorian relic, introduced in 1896 and still widely grown and sold today. The regal-sounding ‘Duchess d’Orleans’ is deep pink with a lighter pink center. Its large double blooms made their debut in 1846.
To find a good antique red that is still available, you may have to stray from the nineteenth century into the early twentieth. ‘Karl Rosenfeld’, introduced in 1908, is almost always described as “crimson”, with large double flowers and lush foliage. Some sources also extol its virtues as a cut flower.
If you want to start a peony collection or increase an existing one, either buy container-grown specimens now, or plant bare roots in the fall. Hybrid lactifloras like full sun and rich soil, but should be planted in shallow holes. Make sure that you have picked a good location, as the plants dislike being moved. Consistent moisture helps create the big beautiful flowers that ornament the garden—however briefly—or look great in bouquets or arrangements. Pick peonies when the buds are just starting to open for maximum indoor longevity.
For a good selection of old varieties, try Hollingsworth Peonies, PO Box 233
Maryville, MO 64468; (660) 851-1560; www.hollingsworthpeonies.com.