Paeonia lactiflora The Fawn

Paeonia lactiflora 'The Fawn' is a Chinese peony distinguished by a very double flower in a mottled pink colour rarely seen among herbaceous peonies. The soft pink background of each petal is speckled and streaked with brighter pink, like the spotted coat of a young fawn. This mid-season variety flowers in May-June, holds up well in the garden, and produces very beautiful cut flowers.

This variety, like all Chinese peonies, belongs to the Paeoniaceae family. It descends from Paeonia lactiflora, a herbaceous perennial native to temperate Asia. In the wild, this plant grows in meadows, woodland edges and clear woodland in northern and eastern China, as well as in several neighbouring regions of Asian Russia and Mongolia. Its above-ground growth is deciduous: the stems disappear in autumn, while the fleshy crown rests underground and forms new shoots in spring.

'The Fawn' is a selection by B.B. Wright, listed in 1996. It has received the Award of Garden Merit from the Royal Horticultural Society. The plant reaches approximately 90cm in height and gradually forms a dense clump. Young shoots emerge in spring from eyes located near the soil surface. The fairly thick stems bear dark green foliage divided into large ovate to elliptical leaflets. The flower buds are large, round, sometimes striped even before opening. Each stem bears one main bud, accompanied by lateral buds that extend the flowering period a little. The flowers reach 15cm in diameter. They are double 'rose' type, very regular in shape with neatly arranged petals. The outer petals form a wide cup; the centre is filled with overlapping, tightly packed, rounded petals. Their background colour ranges from soft pink to medium pink. Each petal may bear spots, fine streaks or small splashes of a deeper pink. This pattern varies slightly from flower to flower, but it is the hallmark of this cultivar. The scent is light and pleasant. The stems are sturdy for such a double peony. However, discreet support will be useful in gardens exposed to wind or June rains.

Plant peony 'The Fawn' in open ground, in a sunny border, in rich, moist but well-drained soil. It is a robust perennial, but it does not like competition from other plants: leave air around the crown and avoid planting too tightly at its base. In a flower bed or large border, it can be paired with Allium 'Mount Everest', Geranium pratense 'Mrs Kendall Clark' and Aster oblongifolius 'October Skies'. Your border will remain in flower after the peonies, from early summer to autumn. In the garden or in a vase, pair with peony 'Mother's Choice', whose large, very double white flowers appear at the same time.

Our secret for cut flower arrangements: cut the stems at dawn, when the buds are soft to the touch and just beginning to show their colour.