Herbaceous peony: most beautiful varieties

Peony 'Bowl of Beauty': robust

The peony ‘Bowl of Beauty’ offers two rows of carmine-pink petals and its tuft of petaloids first yellow then cream. This highly ornamental peony flowers abundantly from May to June. The large single Japanese-style flowers can reach 12 cm in diameter and are wonderful in a bouquet. It is a very robust, vigorous variety that will remain in your garden for many years. It is perfect as a specimen, in a mixed border or in a flowerbed. At ripeness, the ‘Bowl of Beauty’ peony can reach 80 to 100 centimetres. It needs a significant amount of space, especially as peonies do not like being moved. Choose its location carefully.

Some ideas for pairing

You can pair the ‘Bowl of Beauty’ peony with roses, Allium christophii, purple Delphiniums or include it in a bed of wild herbs or grasses.

Peony ‘Bowl of Beauty’, Allium christophii, Peony ‘Sarah Bernhardt’ and purple Delphinium such as ‘King Arthur’

Peony 'Lemon Chiffon': early sunshine

Peony ‘Lemon Chiffon’ displays early flowering with large semi-double flowers averaging 14 cm, in a pale lemon-yellow colour with an orange centre. Shades of yellow lighten at ripeness into a most attractive gradient. This unexpected colour makes it truly unusual and one of a kind! Plant in sun or partial shade. Young plant will reach 70 centimetres in height at ripeness. This variety of peony has a soft, light fragrance and is universally loved in a fresh, sunlit bouquet.

Some pairing ideas

Its sunny colouring will make it a bright neighbour that you can pair as you wish with perennials in blue or purple tones and white for soft combinations: iris, delphiniums, and hardy geraniums for example.

Peony ‘Lemon Chiffon’, Iris pallida ‘Variegata’, Hesperis matronalis ‘Alba’ and Hardy geranium ‘Johnson’s Blue’

Peony 'Do Tell': delicate and fragrant

The peony ‘Do Tell’ is prized for its delicacy, the tenderness of its pink and the glow of its petaloid centre, adorned with long, fine pink and cream stamens. Japanese in form, its single and solitary flowers can reach 7 to 10 centimetres. Sweet, subtle fragrance lends refined elegance to this floriferous peony, ideal for bouquets. Height at ripeness rarely exceeds 80 centimetres on average. Foliage is green and stems are flecked with red. Finally, lightness does not mean fragility: this is a very hardy peony!

Some pairing ideas

This peony finds its place in a mixed border with perennials or grasses such as lady’s mantle, hardy geraniums and Carex. It will also be perfect for a border beside other peonies or planted solitary in your garden.

Peony ‘Do Tell’, Dicentra spectabilis and Geranium ‘Brookside’

Peony 'White Wings': the abundant one

Simplicity and abundant flowering of variety ‘White Wings’ charm many gardeners. Indeed, its semi-double flowers, 12 to 14 cm in diameter, can cover entire plant. Pure white petals evoke dove wings in first rays of sun. Once fully open, satiny petals reveal golden-yellow centre.

Planting combinations

Peony ‘White Wings’ will be equally at ease in a border or in a flowerbed alongside perennials such as lupins or columbines. Its simplicity will stand out at base of Japanese wisteria or alongside handsome shrubby salvias.

Peony ‘White Wings’, wisteria, shrubby salvias ‘Pink Lips’ and ‘Amethyst Lips’

Lorène’s tip : Elegance of peony ‘White Wings’ pairs wonderfully with old rose on a standard. Old rose ‘Cardinal de Richelieu’ will be an ideal neighbour for its original colour and sublime fragrance.

Peony 'Coral Sunset' — radiant

Peony ‘Coral Sunset’ reveals semi-double to double flowers with petals arranged in a cup-shaped form in coral-pink to peach shades, becoming paler at ripeness. Perched on sturdy stems, flowers bloom early, in May, and give off a sweet fragrance. Clump can reach 70 to 90 cm in height at ripeness. This peony also keeps very well in bouquets.

Some planting combinations

Plant this peony in borders as single plants or in groups, or let it stand alone. It makes an excellent companion to Salvia nemorosa ‘Caradonna’ and myosotis.

Peony ‘Coral Sunset’, Salvia nemorosa ‘Caradonna’ and Myosotis

Peony 'Alba Plena': majestic

With its double, globular flowers, pink at opening then white in the centre, the variety ‘Alba Plena’ is one of the oldest peonies. Its delightful, tender fragrance evokes grandmother’s garden. The flower bud is pink and opens into a superb, crinkled pink pompon that fades to white at ripeness. The 14 cm flower grows singly on the plant. The weight of the blooms is such that staking the plant is often necessary. Light green foliage forms a dense clump 60–70 cm tall and will turn red in autumn. Unmissable, hardy, early and exceptionally long-lived!

Some pairing ideas

It can be paired with a wide range of timeless perennials such as columbines, campanulas, foxgloves or placed in front of a magnificent Cornus kousa with immaculate tepals.

Peony ‘Alba Plena’, Cornus kousa and Foxgloves

Peony 'Félix Crousse': Timeless Favourite

Paeonia lactiflora ‘Félix Crousse’ is an old-fashioned, timeless peony with deep raspberry-pink petals tending towards red. Its crown-like flower is topped by a large pompom finely edged with silver. Surviving fashions and whims of time, this timeless classic remains as popular as ever thanks to abundance and beauty of its large, very double flowers. It forms a moderately dense, bushy herbaceous clump, reaching up to 80 cm.

Some planting ideas

Opulent, generous and beautifully scented, peony ‘Felix Crousse’ works well in beds or along path edges, paired with another peony in similar tones but with single flowers, then perennials such as nepeta, hardy geranium ‘Mrs Kendall Clark’ or lavenders.

Peony ‘Félix Crousse’, Hardy geranium ‘Mrs Kendall Clark’, Rose ‘Astronomia’ and Lavender

Peony 'Dr Alexander Fleming': a reliable choice

Peony ‘Dr Alexander Fleming’ offers very double, intense bright pink flowers shaded with white at the centre, perfectly round and highly fragrant. A reliable choice that flowers generously in May/June, with a fabulous fragrance. Of obvious beauty, it is also perfect for creating sumptuous bouquets. Plant forms a herbaceous, bushy clump of medium density, reaching up to 80 cm. Its large flowers, 15 cm in diameter, are produced for around six weeks. They begin as a large dark-pink bud then open into an artfully untidy pompom where various shades of pink mingle.

Some planting ideas

Opulent and generous, beautifully scented, peony ‘Dr Alexander Fleming’ is ideal in mixed borders or as a path edging, paired with another pale pink or white peony, with perennials such as Geranium magnificum, Nepeta, Alchemilla, a striking clump of Chrysanthemum coccineum, purple lupins or Centaurea montana.

Peony ‘Dr Alexander Fleming’, Nepeta, Alchemilla and purple lupin such as the fabulous ‘Masterpiece’

Find out more

Feel free to consult our other sheets on this topic:

• Advice sheet : How to plant peonies?
• Plant sheet : Planting, pruning and caring for peonies
• Also find our selection of peonies in our online shop