| Abalone Pearl $25 |
| Originator/Parentage: |
Krekler 1978 / Hybrid |
| Height/Staking: |
60-90 cm / No |
| Bloom Period: |
Week 4 |
| Side buds/Fragrance: |
None / Faint |
|
| Very pretty cupped semi-double flowers with a form similar to that of Coral Charm but with more pink than orange coral tones.
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| Alexandre Dumas $35 |
| Originator/Parentage: |
Guérin 1862 / P. lactiflora |
| Height/Staking: |
60-90 cm / Best when staked |
| Bloom Period: |
Week 5 |
| Side buds/Fragrance: |
Several / Good |
|
| Named in honour of probably one of the most famous of French writers. Author of The Three Musketeers to name but one of Alexandre Dumas’ books. This peony was named during his lifetime by the French nurseryman Modeste Guérin. Guérin was one of the earliest Europeans to import peonies from China and to use Chinese cultivars in a breeding program. This peony was one of his later introductions.
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| Alice Crousse $30 |
| Originator/Parentage: |
Calot 1872 / P. lactiflora |
| Height/Staking: |
60-90 cm / Depends upon location |
| Bloom Period: |
Week 5 |
| Side buds/Fragrance: |
Several / Excellent |
|
| Gorgeous old fashioned French peony with all the glorious fragrance you would expect from a peony dating back to 1872 and coming from the selections of Auguste Calot. Listed in the literature as a double peony, its form is somewhere between anemone and double.
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| Anna Pavlowa $30 |
| Originator/Parentage: |
Kelway / P. lactiflora |
| Height/Staking: |
60-90 cm / Best when staked |
| Bloom Period: |
Week 5 |
| Side buds/Fragrance: |
Several / Excellent |
|
| This is a rare peony named for the Russian ballerina. The more common Western spelling is Pavlova but this peony was registered with the spelling as seen here.
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.
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| Asa Gray $35 |
| Originator/Parentage: |
Crousse 1886 / P. lactiflora |
| Height/Staking: |
60-90 cm / Depends upon location |
| Bloom Period: |
Week 5 |
| Side buds/Fragrance: |
Several / Good |
|
| Sometimes seen as Aza Gray but should be Asa Gray as I believe this peony was named for the American botanist Asa Gray (Gray Herbarium at Harvard). Asa Gray was a well known botanist in the period when Crousse was naming his peonies.
This is a very distinct peony when admired closely. The petals appear to have a lovely dusting of pink over the creamy base colour.
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| Athena $40 |
| Originator/Parentage: |
Saunders 1955 / Hybrid |
| Height/Staking: |
60-90 cm / No |
| Bloom Period: |
Week 3 |
| Side buds/Fragrance: |
None / Faint |
|
| A most distinct peony and one not likely to be overlooked when seen as part of a peony bed. Because it is so distinct, the designer needs to work a little harder to harmonize this peony with its neighbours but it is well worth the effort to find it the right companions.
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| Attar of Roses $35 |
| Originator/Parentage: |
Murawska 1951 / P. lactiflora |
| Height/Staking: |
>90 cm / Best when staked |
| Bloom Period: |
Week 5 |
| Side buds/Fragrance: |
Several / Excellent |
|
| Added to our field originally just because of the name but it soon became one of my favorites. The flowers are large and are wonderfully fragrant. A tall peony with slightly purple foliage that I like underplanted with Lady's Mantle. Side buds extend the bloom period.
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| Auguste Dessert $25 |
| Originator/Parentage: |
Dessert 1920 / P. lactiflora |
| Height/Staking: |
60-90 cm / Best when staked |
| Bloom Period: |
Week 5 |
| Side buds/Fragrance: |
1 or 2 per stem / Faint |
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| This peony bears the name of the man who introduced it - the French hybridizer Auguste Dessert. Auguste Dessert was awarded the Légion d’honneur, France’s highest decoration, for his work in horticulture. He introduced probably 100 new cultivars and this is the one he chose to carry his name. The colour is strong without being garish and probably the most attractive characteristic is the fading of the petal margins. The paler margins make this an ideal companion for pale pink flowers be they peonies or other plants.
My stock plants were imported directly from Europe several years ago.
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| Avant Garde $30 |
| Originator/Parentage: |
Lemoine 1907 / Hybrid |
| Height/Staking: |
60-90 cm / No |
| Bloom Period: |
Week 3 |
| Side buds/Fragrance: |
None / Faint |
|
| One of my favourite very early peonies although my picture does not do it justice. Because of its parentage (P. lactiflora x P. wittmanniana) Avant Garde can withstand a little more shade than many herbaceous peonies. In my climate, the best exposure would be some high dappled shade for several hours a day because such light accentuates the beauty of the flowers and they appear more luminous and last longer.
Pierre Louis Victor Lemoine is reputed to have been one of France’s most important nurseryman in the latter part of the 19th century. He and his son Emile where the first Western nurserymen to make purposeful crosses between different species of peony, work that was latter taken up by the American Arthur Percy Saunders. Avant Garde was one of the first four hybrid peonies ever introduced in the West.
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| Ave Maria $25 |
| Originator/Parentage: |
Mann/van Steen 1936 / P. lactiflora |
| Height/Staking: |
60-90 cm / Best when staked |
| Bloom Period: |
Week 5 |
| Side buds/Fragrance: |
Several / Good |
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| Lovely open white flowers with red streaking and good fragrance.
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| Bandit $25 |
| Originator/Parentage: |
Krekler 1977 / P. lactiflora |
| Height/Staking: |
60-90 cm / Depends upon location |
| Bloom Period: |
Week 6 |
| Side buds/Fragrance: |
Several / Faint |
|
| Not the name I would have chosen for this peony. There is nothing unruly or lawless about this peony. Granted the stems carry several large flowers and it does perhaps benefit from a bit of staking but in my opinion it is worth the effort. The flowers could almost be called lavender pink. the fragrance, albeit light, is decidedly fresh and very agreeable.
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| Bernice Carr $25 |
| Originator/Parentage: |
Hollingsworth 1995 / Hybrid |
| Height/Staking: |
60-90 cm / Depends upon location |
| Bloom Period: |
Week 5 |
| Side buds/Fragrance: |
Several / Faint |
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| Though technically a hybrid peony ‘Bernice Carr’ looks for all the world like a cultivar of P. lactiflora. It is an easy peony that harmonizes well in perennial border with soft colours. The foliage is dark green and in most situations where it is not too exposed and has neighbours it will not need staking.
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| Bridesmaid $25 |
| Originator/Parentage: |
Kelway / P. lactiflora |
| Height/Staking: |
60-90 cm / Best when staked |
| Bloom Period: |
Week 5 |
| Side buds/Fragrance: |
1 or 2 per stem / Excellent |
|
| Some old documents say this name is associated with a white semi-double peony. Even James Kelway’s 1954 book ‘Garden Paeonies’ says Bridesmaid should be white. But this peony came to me directly from Kelways nursery in the UK and continues to be sold by the nursery as Bridesmaid so I let the name stand in my catalogue.
At one point in its history the name Bridesmaid was considered a synonym for Marie Jacquin, a white semi-double. This is no doubt the source of the confused descriptions.
Regardless of the name confusion, it is a floriferous peony with an excellent fragrance. The appearance is 100% classic peony with flowers of good strong colour that are held well above the foliage.
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| Burma Ruby $35 |
| Originator/Parentage: |
Glasscock 1951 / Hybrid |
| Height/Staking: |
60-90 cm / No |
| Bloom Period: |
Week 4 |
| Side buds/Fragrance: |
None / Faint |
|
| Winner of the American Peony Society Gold Medal in 1985 (see Descriptions for award details).
Several shades lighter than its offspring Burma Midnight, it is the centre of this peony I find striking. The filaments are deep red and edged with gold.
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| Butter Bowl $25 |
| Originator/Parentage: |
Rosefield, R. / P. lactiflora |
| Height/Staking: |
60-90cm / Depends upon location |
| Bloom Period: |
Week 5 |
| Side buds/Fragrance: |
1 or 2 per stem / Good |
|
| This is a reliable peony that makes a great show year after year. The guard petals are almost perfectly rounded and the centre is deep golden yellow on opening. The flowers fade gracefully.
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| Callie's Memory $150 |
| Originator/Parentage: |
Anderson 1999 / Itoh hybrid |
| Height/Staking: |
60-90cm / No |
| Bloom Period: |
Week 5 |
| Side buds/Fragrance: |
1 or 2 per stem / Faint |
|
| The creamy yellow petals are edged in deep burgundy which matches the very conspicuous dark centre of this most interesting Intersectional hybrid peony. The plant remains in bloom for an extended period of time as the side buds are opened slowly and in a very measured performance.
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| Candy Stripe $45 |
| Originator/Parentage: |
Anderson 1992 / P. lactiflora |
| Height/Staking: |
60-90 cm / Depends upon location |
| Bloom Period: |
Week 5 |
| Side buds/Fragrance: |
/ No |
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| For those who like panache and something unusual Candy Stripe might just fit the bill.
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| Carina $30 |
| Originator/Parentage: |
Saunders 1944 / Hybrid |
| Height/Staking: |
60-90 cm / No |
| Bloom Period: |
Week 4 |
| Side buds/Fragrance: |
None / No |
|
| Nice foliage more dissected than P. lactiflora. Flowers are a full semi-double. Good clear red.
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| Cavatina $35 |
| Originator/Parentage: |
Saunders 1935 / Hybrid |
| Height/Staking: |
60-90 cm / No |
| Bloom Period: |
Week 4 |
| Side buds/Fragrance: |
None / No |
|
| Large, bright rose flowers with enormous golden centres. Very rarely seen in catalogues these days.
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| Charm $25 |
| Originator/Parentage: |
Franklin 1931 / P. lactiflora |
| Height/Staking: |
60-90 cm / Depends upon location |
| Bloom Period: |
Week 6 |
| Side buds/Fragrance: |
1 or 2 per stem / Faint |
|
| A valuable addition to the peony garden because of its colour and late bloom season. The beauty of the very deep colour is accentuated by the silky sheen of the petals. Awarded the Award of Landscape Merit in 2009 by the American Peony Society (see Descriptions for award details)
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| Cheddar Royal $25 |
| Originator/Parentage: |
Klehm 1986 / P. lactiflora |
| Height/Staking: |
60-90 cm / No |
| Bloom Period: |
Week 5 |
| Side buds/Fragrance: |
1 or 2 per stem / Good |
|
| Very pretty creamy white flowers with nicely cupped petals. The flowers stand well above the foliage with a tall and dignified appearance.
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| Chief Wapello $25 |
| Originator/Parentage: |
Smith W.J. 1971 / P. lactiflora |
| Height/Staking: |
60-90 cm / Best when staked |
| Bloom Period: |
Week 5 |
| Side buds/Fragrance: |
Several / Faint |
|
| An excellent peony that puts on a splendid show of colour. It’s another of those peonies that I can easily spot from my second floor office window overlooking the field. If you have the space, consider planting several of them together to create a huge splash of colour.
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| Coral Fay $30 |
| Originator/Parentage: |
Fay/Reath, D.L. / Hybrid |
| Height/Staking: |
60-90 cm / Depends upon location |
| Bloom Period: |
Week 4 |
| Side buds/Fragrance: |
None / Faint |
|
| Very bright reddish pink flowers. Sometimes listed as a semi-double because of an extra row of petals. The foliage is an equally important part of this peony. The fern leaf peony, P. tenuifolia is one of its ancestors. This lineage accounts for the delicate, well dissected foliage that makes this a very attractive plant even when not in bloom.
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| Coral Sunset $35 |
| Originator/Parentage: |
Wissing/Klehm, R.G. 1981 / Hybrid |
| Height/Staking: |
<60 cm / No |
| Bloom Period: |
Week 5 |
| Side buds/Fragrance: |
1 or 2 per stem / No |
|
| This is my favourite coral coloured peony. The petals are held upright rather than cupped as is the case with Coral Charm and Coral Supreme. The petals also have rather prominent white streaking on the outside. Rather than being a fault however, I find the streaks greatly enhance the overall effect of these extremely pretty flowers. Awarded the 2003 Gold Medal for excellence by the American Peony Society and the Award of Landscape Merit in 2009 (see Descriptions for award details).
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| Cream Puff $25 |
| Originator/Parentage: |
Marx/Rogers, A.1981 / P. lactiflora |
| Height/Staking: |
60-90 cm / No |
| Bloom Period: |
Week 5 |
| Side buds/Fragrance: |
1 or 2 per stem / Faint |
|
| A appealing fluffy peony that ís a strong grower. The flowers are of the Japanese form and are a delicate pale pink that blends nicely into the perennial border. Plant in a location where you will view it close up to appreciate the colour nuances within the centre.
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| Dai jo kuhan $25 |
| Originator/Parentage: |
Millet / P. lactiflora |
| Height/Staking: |
60-90 cm / No |
| Bloom Period: |
Week 5 |
| Side buds/Fragrance: |
Several / Faint |
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| Numerous small deep pink single flowers appear on a stout bushy plant. Each stem can have as many as six flowers, making each stem a small bouquet in itself. This is an excellent peony to plant in an area where a large splash of colour is required to be seen from a distance.
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| Do Tell $30 |
| Originator/Parentage: |
Auten 1946 / P. lactiflora |
| Height/Staking: |
60-90 cm / Best when staked |
| Bloom Period: |
Week 5 |
| Side buds/Fragrance: |
1 or 2 per Stem / Good |
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| Pictured on the cover of Rock Giguère’s book Pivoines and on the inside cover of Jean-Luc Rivière’s book by the same title, Do-tell is a well admired and popular peony. The flowers have a charming informal appearance. Winner of the American Peony Society Gold Medal in 2004 (see Descriptions for award details).
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| Dolorodell $30 |
| Originator/Parentage: |
Lins 1942 / P. lactiflora |
| Height/Staking: |
60-90 cm / Best when staked |
| Bloom Period: |
Week 6 |
| Side buds/Fragrance: |
Several / Good |
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| Winner of the American Peony Society Gold Medal in 1984 (see Descriptions for award details). The flowers are very large and the fragrance is decidedly lemon. Yes, it needs to be staked but it is well worth the effort.
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| Dr F.G. Brethour $35 |
| Originator/Parentage: |
Sass, H.P./Bongers 1938 / P. lactiflora |
| Height/Staking: |
60-90 cm / Best when staked |
| Bloom Period: |
Week 6 |
| Side buds/Fragrance: |
Several / Good |
|
| Named in honour of the Toronto peony breeder Dr. Frederick G. Brethour. Dr. Brethour was a dentist and hybridizer of peonies, lilac and iris. Despite the fact that his peonies seem to have been very well thought of, they are very hard to find today. Large pure white pleasantly fragrant flowers that stand out well against the dark green foliage. The double flowers are of the rose form without the wide guard petals seen on peonies such as Henry Sass. Makes a great cut flower! This is one of my favourite double white peonies.
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| Dr C.F. Patterson $30 |
| Originator/Parentage: |
? / P. lactiflora |
| Height/Staking: |
60-90 cm / Best when staked |
| Bloom Period: |
Week 6 |
| Side buds/Fragrance: |
Several / |
|
| This peony was never registered with the American Peony Society and I have only once seen it available for purchase and that was 10 years ago. I’ve been growing and propagating it ever since. Not only is it a lovely peony but it is a little bit of Canadian Prairie history. It is widely believed to have been developed by Dr. C.F. Patterson who was the Head of the University of Saskatchewan’s Department of Horticulture between 1922 and 1960. Dr. Patterson was well known for his lily breeding but he apparently did not name any of his peonies. This one is thought to have been originally obtained from Dr. Patterson by Ferncliff Gardens but it doesn’t seem to have been widely distributed. I hope to change that by offering it this year.
The flowers are well formed and symmetrical and the colour is rich with lots of staying power.
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| Early Glow $35 |
| Originator/Parentage: |
Hollingsworth 1992 / Hybrid |
| Height/Staking: |
60-90 cm / No |
| Bloom Period: |
Week 4 |
| Side buds/Fragrance: |
Occasional / Faint |
|
| The flowers are pale yellow upon opening and fade to a rich shade of ivory as they age. They are symmetrical and tidy in appearance. The plant is wide with dense mid green foliage. This is an excellent garden peony when planted as either a specimen plant or in association with other perennials. If the spent flowers are not cut, the seed pods develop over the summer months into attractive structures full of seeds.
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| Eliza Lundy $30 |
| Originator/Parentage: |
Krekler 1976 / Hybrid |
| Height/Staking: |
<60 cm / No |
| Bloom Period: |
Week 5 |
| Side buds/Fragrance: |
None / No |
|
| Similar in flower form and colour to the popular hybrid peony Red Charm but lower in stature and blooming a little later. 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.
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| Elsa Sass $30 |
| Originator/Parentage: |
Sass 1930 / P. lactiflora |
| Height/Staking: |
60-90 cm / Best when staked |
| Bloom Period: |
Week 6 |
| Side buds/Fragrance: |
Several / Good |
|
| 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.
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| Emperor of India $35 |
| Originator/Parentage: |
Kelway / P. lactiflora |
| Height/Staking: |
60-90 cm / Depends upon location |
| Bloom Period: |
Week 5 |
| Side buds/Fragrance: |
1 or 2 per stem / Good |
|
| Several years ago I expanded my collection of old European varieties by importing directly from Kelways - the British peony nursery founded in 1851. James Kelway and his family introduced several hundred cultivars, a few of which are still widely available today. My interest was the lesser known cultivars. «Emperor of India» is such a cultivar.
Big brightly coloured flowers are perhaps evocative of Indian rubies. The plant is generous with its flowers.
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