June is for Peonies

Peonies are lovely. They're finicky and particular but if you plant them properly and leave them alone, they'll reward you with a short-lived display of large, fragrant blooms. I have a few normal peonies, an Itoh peony and a tree peony, nine in total.

I usually put peony rings around each in early spring once they've sprouted a foot or so out of the ground. As they're blooming, they will sometimes need additional support as the blooms are really heavy for the stems. In the fall, I cut all normal peonies off at about an inch from the ground; I usually do the same for the Itoh. I just leave the tree peony alone.

Purple Tree Peony

Purple Tree Peony

Pink Parfait Peony

Pink Parfait Peony

Cora Stubbs Peony

Sorbet Peony

Festiva Maxima Peony

Daydream Peony

Sarah Bernhardt Peony

Sarah Bernhardt Peony

Kansas Peony

Raggedy Ann Itoh Peony