Very pretty cupped semi-double flowers with a form similar to that of Coral Charm but with more pink than orange coral tones.

A great planting combination is Abalone Pearl under planted with Nepeta mussini - ‘Walker’s Low’. Opposite sides of the colour wheel in muted tones that bring out the best of each colour.

This is the first time this peony has been offered to the public. It was selected by the Canadian Peony Society to be named in honour of Canada’s 26th Governor General. The exact parentage is unknown but is an advanced generation hybrid with pollen and seeds. It was chosen from amongst Maurice Ménard’s most promising seedlings. The flowers are pale yellow fading to cream with raspberry-pink flares. Stems are an impressive 120 cm (48 inches ) tall.

Per the American Peony Society this peony was named for Mr. Olson’s mother. Mothers seem to have had quite a few lovely peonies named for them over the years! The flowers are beautiful in all respects but the fragrance is what puts it on my list of great peonies.

The main flowers tend to be fuller and of the bomb form while the smaller side flowers are of the anemone flower form and have more nuances in colour often with buff petalodes.

My stock plants were imported directly from Kelways several years ago.

Pale lavender pink flowers of flat form. A Canadian peony introduced by William Brown. William Brown was a prominent member of the Ontario horticultural community in the first half of the 20th century. Like many peony breeders, peonies were his hobby - he made his living as a cabinet maker. He introduced about a dozen cultivars which are either no longer available or hard to find today. Of the six I grow Athelstane and Elgin are my favourites. A gorgeous peony and a part of Canadian horticultural history.

Cheerful pink flowers that are more double than semi-double (though officially listed by the American Peony Society as a semi-double). This is a just slightly shorter plant than average and looks great planted in front of taller growing peonies and absolutely smashing with Do-Tell. The colour is rich and does not fade.

Well formed double flowers that open blush pink. The blush colour is more noticeable if skies are cloudy and temperatures cool. Within a short time however the flowers turn snow white. When in bloom the bush is slightly taller than average. Makes a long lasting cut flower.

Deep mahogany coloured flowers that do not fade with time. They look stunning when planted with yellow flowering plants. Named for the hybridizers home town Belle Center, Ohio.

Described when registered as cyclamen purple and definitely a striking colour. It makes a big plant even when not in bloom and is on the taller side of average height. The flowers are symmetrical and well formed. Overall a terrific plant.

Not often found in catalogues. The picture would suggest perhaps a traditional double pink peony but the picture is misleading. The foliage and flowering time are indicative of a hybrid peony. Indeed Bess Bockstoce is a hybrid between the very early flowering P. officinalis and the more traditional P. lactiflora. Double flowers such as these are rare in week 4 of the peony bloom season. The flowers are an extremely pretty shade of pink.

A truly gorgeous peony! The stems are strong and hold numerous large flowers. The flowers are loosely petaled and begin as a deep pink and with time, each petal becomes tipped with silver.

This peony looks wonderful planted alongside ‘Krinkled White’.

It was among the first stock plants I purchased when I began my nursery and it continues to be one of my favourites.

An American Peony Society Gold Medal winning peony (see descriptions for award details). Large, voluptuous flowers that are equally beautiful on the plant or in a vase.

Like the name suggests the flowers are a rich creamy white.

An excellent choice for the gardener looking for a good clear red. The petals are nicely cupped and held upright even in difficult spring weather. This is a peony that puts on an impressive display of colour in the spring garden.

I have a definite weakness for old French peony cultivars. Perhaps it is the stories about the nurserymen of the time or perhaps it is the stories behind the people for whom the peonies were named. I believe this one was named after Georges Clemenceau, the French politician of the early 20th century.

Regardless of the history this is a beautiful, classic peony.

Named for the grandmother of the breeder. The flowers have a large deep purple blotch at the base reminiscent of the type found on the Chinese Gansu Mudan (P. rockii hybrids)

American Peony Society Gold Medal winner in 1986 (see descriptions for award details). The large semi-double flowers are medium coral peach and carried on a tall wide bush. This peony is a vigorous grower! Looks wonderful under planted with lamb's ears and Nepeta mussini but trim the lamb's ears to keep the foliage rather than the flowers.

Egbert Jerome Shaylor bred peonies at the beginning of the 1900’s. The majority of his introductions are hard to find today but the ones that are still around are excellent plants. This is a big peony with impressively large flowers. The old American Peony Society rating system gave it a 9.1 out of 10 indicative of the size and beauty of the flowers.

This is one sturdy peony! It is one of the first plants through the ground in the spring and nothing will knock it over. The foliage is a lighter green than many peonies and adds a nice addition to the perennial border. The flowers are a lovely shade of dark red with many uniform petals. Plants here often produce perfectly formed semi-double and double flowers on the same plant.

The guard petals are magenta rose in colour while the centre is an interesting frilly yellow. The foliage is light green and leaf margins are crimped adding an interesting texture to the plant.

This is the first time I’ve offered this peony. I purchased it years ago at a time when I bought any Saunders peony I could find. It is indeed a Saunders origination but it doesn’t seem to have been given a name and came to commerce just as Early White. My expectations were low but I have been very pleasantly surprised. Whether you are a collector of Professor Saunders peonies or just looking for a great plant consider Early White. It is indeed an early bloomer (Week 3) with foliage indicative of perhaps P. wittmanniana parentage in that it is light green and quite coarse in texture. The flowers open blush and quickly transform into a drift of well formed pure white flowers.

Introduced in 1824, this peony is over 180 years old. It has to have something going for it to still be in commerce after such a long time. Who says newer is better? I’m betting that one reason it is still such a desirable peony is the fragrance. Yes, there are splashier varieties and yes some have bigger flowers and don’t need to be staked but if fragrance and history are important decision criteria, this peony should be on the list.

Similar in flower form and colour to the popular hybrid peony Red Charm but lower in stature and blooming a little later. Personally I prefer it to Red Charm. The flower colour holds up well even in strong sunlight. The plant is compact attaining almost 60 cm at maturity and makes an excellent addition to the front of the border.

Another Saunders Week 3 peony of P. wittmanniana
heritage. Quite different though from Early White. The flowers are greenish white and the prominent deep red stigmas give the flower an entirely different look. The flowers are cup-shaped when young but open up as the days go by to reveal the distinct centre of red stigma and lavender-based filaments.

Winner of the 1943 Gold Medal for outstanding performance awarded by the American Peony Society (see descriptions for award details).

Produces numerous rose form double flowers with a pink cast on opening. The stems are strong (though staking is required) and the flowers pleasantly, albeit faintly, fragrant.

A valuable addition to any peony collection because it is one of the last peonies to bloom and so helps extend the season.

Big brightly coloured flowers are perhaps evocative of Indian rubies. The plant is generous with its flowers.

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