The Herbaceous Peony

There is nothing quite as delicious and extravagant as a peony.   They have huge, blousy and richly coloured blooms, laced with scent which makes them truly exciting.  Ours were here when arrived so we don’t know this particular variety but the colour is stunning.  It is the star performer in May and neither of us can pass by without gazing them.  

Peonies have a reputation of being difficult to grow but as with most plants, if you give them what they need they seldom disappoint.  The only time our plants struggle is when there is heavy rainfall and wind just as they come into flower. 

The flowers are bigger than my hand and the stems cannot possibly support the weight.  One of our must-do jobs in the early spring is to stake the plants as soon as we see the first fresh foliage peeping out of the soil.  If we forget and try to do it later on, the stems break and there is just an unsightly pile of petals and foliage.

Don’t believe anyone who says that an herbaceous peony cannot be successfully moved.   Do it in the autumn and try to cause as little disturbance to the root system as possible.  Plant it at exactly the same level and water it well - very well.   If you don’t do this, it will sulk for a couple of years and refuse to flower.  

I could not resist cutting a few flowers to enjoy in the house but if you have young plants it is best to resist doing this until its second or even third year.  Always leave at least a quarter of the stems on each plant to photosynthesise and feed the roots through summer and autumn.

I have decided that several clumps of this wonderful plant are not enough.  We are going to a rare plant fair soon, so I shall be looking out for some different varieties.  I simply cannot get enough of them.