Luscious Peony Varieties for the Pacific Northwest

Whether you’re looking for fragrance, dramatic size, or striking flower color, there is a perfect peony just for you

There is nothing quite like view the recherche ravisher of a blooming paeony ( Paeoniaspp . and hybrids , Zones 3–9 ) in the garden . As a nongardener , I would purchase sweet deletion flowers at the store and bring them home to scent my quad . As a novice gardener , I wish I could grow them . One day at a derelict job site where the house was scheduled to be demolished , I hear the prospicient , thin root word of a peony emerging from a weedy , overgrown seam . As I worked with the architect on the siting of the fresh house , I watched as the peony grew and even bloomed amid the blackberry bush ( Rubusspp . and cvs . , Zones 4–9 ) and horsetail ( Equisetumspp . and cvs . , Zones 3–11 ) . That was my aha moment . I could get peony in the Pacific Northwest !

Chinese peonies are the most fragrant

Today , there are several paeony that deliver an outstanding carrying into action in myPacific Northwestgarden . In the vast globe of peony , there are six distinct flower forms : single , Japanese , sea anemone , semi - duple , bomb , and full double . And thanks to hybridization , there are many colors usable . The 2- to 3 - foot - magniloquent fragrant Chinese orgarden peonies(Paeonia lactifloraand cvs . , Zones 3–8 ) forcuttingare worthy of mickle of space and are the easiest to uprise . The oldest Chinese peony diverseness are the mostfragrantof all peonies . These are the selection that likely bring back memories of our grandparents ’ garden . As herbaceous species , they completely die back in the winter and must have a shivery period to survive . They require full sunlight to partial shade and do their in force in zone 5 to 7 , but many Zone 8 gardeners have capital success with them . declivity leaf color is often an overlooked feature of speech of this species , with possible vivacious orange , pinkish , and scarlet tone have an show .

Woody peonies deliver big, dramatic size and form

Woody peonies ( Paeonia suffruticosaand cvs . , Zones 5–8 ) are some of the most striking of the lot . Often calledtree peony , they come in many shades and colors with good foliage . They are considered bush and can live for many years . They have woody halt that do not fail back in the winter and can grow to 6 feet tall . Although there are other metal money and hybrids within the woody peonies category , the speciesPaeonia suffruticosais quite widely cognize and popular . When plant , remove fool from the rhizome and locate your industrial plant in sun topartial shadefor beautiful , dramatic results . The vast phone number of natural selection offer many unlike habits , heyday , and hardiness zones but can make a fantastic addition to almost every garden bed .

Itoh hybrid peonies offer a sturdy shrub form with large dramatic flowers

novel on the view are the awful intersectional orItoh hybrid peonies(Paeoniahybrids , Zones 4–9 ) . These are the result of successful cross between woody and herbaceous peonies and are dead stunning in the garden . They are very shrublike , growing to 3 feet magniloquent , with uncompromising stem that strongly hold the large dramatic prime up for all to see . These selections extend the peony time of year for much longer . They blossom later and can last more than three weeks in areas that experience cool spring weather condition like the Pacific Northwest .

Molly the witch is a coveted species that is worth the extra effort

Of course , with my horticulture style ( which boundary line on obsessive ) , I begin with only a few peony and then gradually added more . After an oversea educational chance atHarlow Carr Botanical Gardenin the United Kingdom , I had one more to add to the inclination — Molly the beldam ( Paeonia mlokosewitschii , Zones 5–8 ) . At Harlow Carr , I spotted this lovely peony within a metal roadblock . When I asked the head gardener about it , he just shook his nous as he distinguish me the fib of people trying to pick the efflorescence , gain seedpods , and even dig a bit of the genus Tuber . Eventually , a alloy barrier was target around the flora to keep it from being destroyed . Although this metal money is still considered rarefied , and I had to plant it three clip before I had achiever , its great , cleared chickenhearted flowers and early blooming point make the effort well worth it .

May is the month to see and leverage peonies for your garden . More data is available atamericanpeonysociety.org . The Pacific Northwest is the perfect position to grow paeony , as our spring rain concede beautifully succulent plants with abundant blush .

— Susan Calhoun is the possessor of Plantswoman Design in Bainbridge Island , Washington .

picture : Susan Calhoun

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