Stay ahead of the curve and grow the very latest and extremely exciting peonies available for sale. The best way to buy peonies is to choose bare-root plants. They are the best value and there are a wide range of exciting varieties to choose from.
Here at Richard Jackson Garden, we strive to bring you fabulous varieties of really great, garden worthy plants. Peonies are not created equal and we’ve got an insider glimpse of the best peonies in Europe. The breeders have worked their magic and these are three of the best peonies available now. What’s more they are sent bare-root and these are extraordinary bare-roots, lovely, healthy thick roots with several healthy eyes (buds ready to burst). Bare-roots are the very best way to plant peonies and they are a much more cost-effective way to pack and send in the post too so you get better value for money and great quality plants.
Peony ‘Dinner Plate’
If you want a peony with huge, dramatic flowers then Peony ‘Dinner Plate’ should be at the top of your list. It’s flowers are huge. It’s a breath-taking, giant flowered peony with flowers that smell of roses. It’s considered to be one of the loveliest peonies available, with its layer after layer of pink petals and its charming fragrance of an old-fashioned rose. It looks like a rose; it smells like a rose and it has all the charm and elegance of roses. But it’s a peony. In fact, it’s one of the best peonies for cut flowers and it’s also great for growing in containers.
Sold as a fat, healthy, bare-root, it may flower in the first year but it will reliably flower in the second year with three to five flowers and many more in the years following. The flowers have strong stems and extra-large flowers, so they are great for cutting. Plants can live for up to 100 years. For very best results, don’t plant them too deep. Each bare-root will have three to five eyes. It’s great in containers.
Peony ‘Belgravia’
Everyone loves peonies but Peony ‘Belgravia’ is one of the finest rich red flowered peonies. It is considered to be the best by peony connoisseurs (think red, red wine), it’s amazing for cut flowers.
It’s huge flowers grow up to ten inches wide with a hundred or more petals. This one is the best of the reds, it’s the biggest and the best, with huge flowers, light fragrance and chock full of petals.
It’s a perfect way to add colour to the garden from late May into June making this variety a fabulous choice. Plants are regarded as ‘tough as old boots’ because they are hardy down to -20C in winter. For colour and impact this is one of the best peonies to grow.
Peony ‘Salmon Saucer’
This exquisite, single flowered peony is a virtual dinner plate for pollinators, drawn into the huge flat flowers by the rich scent and the pollen laden anthers. Peony ‘Salmon Saucer’ is a stunner, with two layers of pale salmon pink petals.
What’s really great about this fabulous peony is that although it looks exotic, it’s full hardy and doesn’t need lifting or protecting over winter. And, like all herbaceous peonies, once planted it will improve year on year. The top-grade bare-roots supplied are strong roots with live buds ready to burst into growth.
Peony growing tips
- The best way to buy peonies is as bare-root plants. This way the plants tend to be bigger and better value for money than those bought in pots. Bare-root peonies will become established sooner and give a better display.
- Select a sunny spot in the border.
- Dig a hole large enough to spread the roots out but remember not to plant them too deeply. Ensure the crown of the root is level with the surface of the soil or your peonies may be reluctant to flower.
- Add a handful of slow-release fertiliser to the planting hole to give them the best possible start.
- Keep them well watered, particularly during dry spells and don’t forget to feed them regularly throughout the growing season.
- Peony flowers can be quite heavy so make sure you support them with garden canes or plant supports – you don’t want those precious flowers to be a flop!
