20 beautiful peonies to grow

Pink blooms of peony 'Pink Hawaiian Coral'

Tree peonies bloom from early April to late May, extending the peony flowering season when combined with herbaceous or intersectional peonies. They typically reach a size of around 1.2m over time. Tree peonies are shrubby and don't die down at the end of the season.

Intersectional peonies are a cross between tree and herbaceous peonies. The flowers of intersectional peonies are very intense in colour and are very long lasting.

Peony 'Coral Charm'

Peony 'Coral Charm' flowers in June, changing colour as it opens. It starts salmon pink, then gradually opens to orange, then finally yellow. Growing to 90cm tall with strong stems, it's a good size for a border.

H x S: 85cm x 85cm

Peony 'Duchess of Kent'

Peony 'Duchess of Kent' is a vigorous Japanese tree peony, eventually reaching a size of up to 1.2m. Ruby tulip-shaped buds emerge in early May, and open throughout May to reveal large, ruffled blooms with a slight violet hue.

H x S: 1.2m x 90cm

Peony 'Duchess of Marlborough'

Flowering mid-season, this famous Japanese tree peony variety produces very large, pale pink blooms. Peony 'Duchess of Marlborough' flowers profusely each year.

H x S: 1.2m x 90cm

Peony 'Hillary'

This unique variety produces large, apricot and magenta two-tone blooms with a rich, spicy fragrance. 'Hillary' is an intersectional peony with a 'bush' habit.

H x S: 90cm x 90cm

Peony 'Laura Dessert'

Fragrant French cultivar, 'Laura Dessert', has pale creamy-yellow blooms with ruffled, pompom-like centre. Flowering mid-season they bring a fresh scent to the border.

H x S: 90cm x 75cm

Peony 'Lollipop'

Peony 'Lollipop' is an intersection peony with unusual pink-speckled apricot blooms. The foliage is delicate and the stems hold the flowers well. This variety is mid-season flowering and grows in a 'bush' form, around 80cm high.

H x S: 70cm x 90cm

Peony 'Pink Hawaiian Coral'

Peony 'Pink Hawaiian Coral' flowers early on in the season, around late May, so is often used to extend the peony season in a garden. It's vigorous and easy to grow, producing large coral-pink blooms. It grows to around 90cm in height.

H x S: 90cm x 75cm

Peony 'Prairie Moon'

'Prairie Moon' is a herbaceous peony, growing to around 75cm in height. The white single blooms have a bright yellow centre. It's an early-flowering variety, bringing interest to the border during June.

H x S: 85cm x 75cm

Peony 'Shimanishiki'

This eye-catching red and white striped peony produces lots of blooms, each of them is unique. 'Shimanishiki' is a sought after Japanese tree peony, forming a neat 'shrub' habit.

H x S: 1.2m x 90cm

Peony 'Souvenir de Maxime Cornu'

This French tree peony has vary large, double ruffled peach-coloured blooms. The flowers hang downwards with their own weight and, as they mature, they become stronger in colour. Peony 'Souvenir de Maxime Cornu' has an eventual height of around 1.2m.

H x S: 1.2m x 90cm

Peony 'Bartzella'

Peony ‘Bartzella’ is an intersectional peony, bearing large, frilled, yellow flowers with a flash of pink around a ring of bright yellow stamens, and a delicate, citrus fragrance. It can occasionally produce a second flush of flowers in September.

H x S: 90cm x 90cm

Peony 'Chocolate Soldier'

The cup-shaped flowers of peony ‘Chocolate Soldier’ are the darkest red, with a central flush of bright yellow stamens. They work well with other dark-flowered plants, but may also be grown among lighter colours, to emphasise their darkness. ‘Chocolate Soldier’ makes an excellent cut flower.

H x S: 70cm x 70cm

Peony 'Nippon Beauty'

Peony ‘Nippon Beauty’ is a late-flowering herbaceous peony, bearing sumptuous deep red, semi-double flowers in contrast with dark green leaves. The central ball of fringed petals is flushed with cream. It makes an excellent cut flower.

H x S: 90cm x 75cm

Peony 'Claire De Lune'

Peony ‘Claire de Lune’ has beautiful pale lemon-yellow, single flowers with a huge centre of deep yellow stamens, and a gentle fragrance. Flower stems are red and the leaves are a rich, deep green. It makes an excellent cut flower.

H x S: 90cm x 80cm

Peony 'Bowl Of Beauty'

Peony ‘Bowl of Beauty’ has incredible pink flowers with a central core of tiny, strap-like petals with a wonderful fragrance. It’s a fantastic choice for growing as the focal point of a large herbaceous border, and may even be grown in a large pot. It makes an interesting cut flower.

H x S: 80cm x 80cm

Peony 'Sarah Bernhardt'

Peony ‘Sarah Bernhardt’ bears enormous, fragrant, double flowers in rose pink, with a ruffles, white edge to the petals. Flower stems may need staking. It makes an excellent cut flower.

H x S: 1m x 90cm

Peony 'Le Cygne'

Peony ‘Le Cygne’ is a fantastic double-flowered peony, bearing large, white blooms with gently curved petals and yellow stamens. It’s perfect for growing in a mixed herbaceous border container, and makes an excellent cut flower.

H x S: 85cm x 50cm

Peony 'Immaculee'

Peony ‘Imaculee’ has bowl-shaped, white flowers, with a central core of tiny, strap-like white petals and contrasting scarlet stamens. The flowers have a good fragrance, and are well suited to arranging. It’s perfect for growing in a mixed herbaceous border or container.

H x S: 90cm x 50cm

Peony 'Instituteur Doriat'

Peony ‘Instituteur Doriat’ has anemone-type flowers in deepest pink, with a central core of deep pink, strap-like petals, called petaloids, with white tips. Its foliage is dark green. It’s perfect for growing in a mixed herbaceous border or container, and makes an excellent cut flower.

H x S: 1m x 1m

Peony 'Bowl of Love'

Peony ‘Bowl of Love’ is a more compact version of ‘Bowl of Beauty’. It bears incredible pink flowers with a central core of tiny, strap-like petals with a wonderful fragrance.

H x S: 70cm x 50cm