Peonies – Proud Performance Year after Year
It’s easy to see why Peonies have been a favourite among expert gardeners for donkeys’ years, but because they are so undemanding they're also perfect for more inexperienced gardeners due to their undemanding nature.
Displaying big, blousy flowers and fabulous foliage, peonies look spectacular in your garden and will make you the envy of all your friends. These early summer beauties are easier to grow than some might think and with a small amount of care you will be rewarded by their stunning performance each summer for years, even decades.
There are masses of varieties to pick from but each year, the team here at P2G specially select just a few of our faves.
NOW is the perfect time to plant them so check out our special deals here: Peony Autumn Planting
When and how do I plant a Peony?
In our opinion, the best way to buy peonies is as bare root plants and this is the form in which we supply them.
Planting as a bare root means they tend to be bigger and better value for money than those bought in pots. Bare root peonies will become established sooner and give a superior display.
This easy-going beauty really isn’t fussed when it comes to soil type so just select a sunny spot in the border and dig a hole large enough for the root 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, the noses/new buds should be no more than 1cm below the surface of the soil. Add a handful of slow-release fertiliser to the planting hole to give them the best possible start and give it a good drink.
How do I care for my Peony?
Once planted, all you need to do for the first few months is to make sure that the soil doesn’t dry out, keep your plant well-watered, particularly during dry spells. Give your plant a slow-release fertiliser feed in the Spring and then every early Autumn and Spring going forward, it is as stress-free as that.
Peony flowers can be quite heavy so if they need some assistance, use garden canes or plant supports – you don’t want those precious flowers to be a flop!
Rumour has it the peonies don’t like to be disturbed once planted, this is not the case for most varieties. Plants can be lifted and divided every 3-5 years. This will not only give existing plants a new lease of life but will give you additional plants to fill your borders with.
What Peony would you recommend?
Customers often ask us what plants we would recommend, and I have to say that Peony Celebrity is a much-loved variety of ours which we have been lucky enough to supply for a few years now.
Celebrity is a real showstopper and displays stunning, bowl shaped, fully double blooms in purple and pink shades. Perfect in either your garden border or in a pot and the flowers look amazing in a mixed bouquet too.
Click Here For Garden Snips - Perfect for cutting your own bouquet. Choose a flowering stem where the bud is just cracking with colour. Follow the stem all the way down and cut with sharp snips at its base.
If you want the wow factor, then this is the plant, and the bees love it too!
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It’s been half-term this week and it's lovely to spend some time with the kids, but I must now go and start getting the uniforms ready to start all over again.
Thank you, Garden Bunch, for reading and Happy Halloween,
Lins.