It’s a wonderful time of year. The growing season is in full swing and the garden is alive with wildlife, growth and excitement. And of course, this is the time for one of the superstars of the garden: the beautiful peony. Read on to learn how to grow herbaceous peonies, as advised by John Myers, head gardener at Fairlight Hall in Hastings.
There are a number of types of herbaceous peonies. ‘Singles’ have a single row of petals, while ‘semi-doubles’ have two or three rows and ‘doubles’ have three or more rows. The ‘Anemone’ form can be single or double, with stamens of petals or ‘petaloides‘.
At Fairlight Hall one of our seasonal jewels is the magnificent peony border that blooms from May to June. It runs the distance of the ha-ha, roughly 100m, and is surrounded by a wonderful woven hazel support. This border is filled with a mix of peonies including single, semi-double and double forms of the flower.
How to plant herbaceous peonies
Peonies can be planted in late spring by following these steps:
- Make sure you plant your peonies into good soil. You can improve your soil by piling some well-rotted manure or compost on top of it.
- Plant peonies roughly half a meter away from other plants so they have enough space to grow.
- Make sure you plant them at the same level as they were in the pot.
- Once planted, peonies require some support – especially those with heavy, double flowers. Use a horizontal grid support, or criss-cross taut string between canes, so that the peony can grow up and through the support.
- Water your peonies after planting and regularly afterwards. This is particularly important in dry spells for the first year, while they settle in.
- Discover the three golden rules for growing the perfect peony flower.
How to care for herbaceous peonies
- Spent flowers should be deadheaded and composted.
- Once peonies have finished flowering, they will keep their foliage until autumn. At this time, the foliage starts to die back. You should allow the foliage to die back fully and then cut back the spent foliage.
- Mulch around your peonies with a good helping of manure or compost. Do not cover the crown.
How to propagate herbaceous peonies
Peonies can be propagated by division in the autumn, following these steps:
- Lift the clump and remove the foliage.
- Wash off soil so you can see the roots and the buds at the top of the plant.
- Gently prise the clumps apart. Each division should include both root and a minimum of three buds.
- Replant each division with the buds about 2-3cm below the surface of the soil.
Recommended peony varieties
There are loads of lovely peony varieties to choose from! These ones have proved themselves as good growers at Fairlight Hall:
- ‘Bowl of Beauty’ – an anemone form
- ‘Coral Charm’ – a delicious pink double form
- ‘Shirley Temple’ – a wonderful white double form
For more beautiful peony pictures from Fairlight Hall, check out the Instagram page.
