Life

The Casual Gardener: Pondering peony pleasure

Peonies may not be to John Manley's tastes but they have plenty of fans who love their big blousy blooms

The common peony – Paeonia officinalis – often screams out from a mixed border
The common peony – Paeonia officinalis – often screams out from a mixed border The common peony – Paeonia officinalis – often screams out from a mixed border

MY 16-year-old daughter takes after her mother, who beyond overseeing our annual strawberry crop and the occasional bit of enforced weeding, does little work in the garden.

Yet they both insist on pestering me about peonies and their absence from the garden. I’m not sure where my daughter’s interest stems from, my wife has speculated some "naff US scripted reality show" of which I know as much as both of them know about peony cultivation.

I’ve told them, though, that peonies happen to be one of my least favourite flowers. They are up there with camellias, begonias and all but a handful of dahlias in the garish and blousy stakes, displaying all the subtlety of a 70s sitcom double entendre.

But perhaps I shouldn't rush to describe them as my least favourite flowers, because if displayed in isolation as a cut flower inside the house, the peony is virtually unmatched for beauty and fragrance. In herbaceous borders, however, peonies too often look like they're trying too hard; screaming at you to look at them rather than gently coaxing the eye. This asset may serve them well with insects but for me it’s a turn off.

Peonies originate in Asia and are especially treasured in China. They are renowned not just for those retina-ripping blooms but also for being robust and long-lived, often outlasting the person that planted them – and their critics. They can be moved if absolutely necessary but will take a while to settle into their new home before flowering.

There are countless varieties of peony, with petals ranging in colour from deep reds through every shade of pink to yellow, cream and white. Flower forms are also varied with singles, semi-doubles or doubles in cup-shaped, bowl-shaped or anemone-form on offer.

Fashionable since the 19th century in its native Asia and across Europe and America, the herbaceous peony has been bred extensively. One of the most popular varieties, 'Sarah Bernhardt' takes its name from a famous French actress, whose best known films pre-date the 'talkies'. The origins of its European species name are older still, deriving from Paeon, the physician to the Ancient Greek gods. Peonies dropped out of favour in the middle-to-late 20th century but have always enjoyed a dedicated following among the less fashion conscious.

Most cultivars are bred from Paeonia lactiflora, a very popular herbaceous species, bearing big, single, white or pale pink blooms. Look out for 'Bowl of Beauty', P. 'Krinkled White', the pale or rose pink 'Avant Garde' or deeper pink 'Globe of light’, the flowers of which are soft pink with creamy white centres.

Combining with other plants in the border can help to bring out the best of the peony. Paeonia lactiflora 'Albert Crousse' combines well with Rosa 'Gertrude Jekyll' and Allium aflatunense.

Another interesting combination that challenges expectation is that of Paeonia lactiflora 'Auguste Dessert' and the upright yellow-flowered stems of yellow loostrife. For the more conservative, delphiniums or lupins make a subtler blend. Popular scented varieties include 'Duchesse de Nemours' and the aforementioned 'Sarah Bernhardt'. Also watch out for P. 'Peter Brand', with its deep red blooms and foliage that turns red come autumn, where ornamental grasses and bearded irises can create the perfect foil.

Peonies like well-drained, fertile soil and full sun or partial shade location. They respond well to an occasional bit of attention, such as a springtime mulch and a feed with a general fertiliser in late summer. The stems should be cut down to ground level in autumn.