My Blooming Herbaceous Peonies 2021
Early June is such an exciting time here at my Bedford, New York farm. It is when my herbaceous peony garden is blooming with brilliant pinks and whites!
Every year, I’m always amazed by the dazzling display of these beautiful flowers - it’s one of the most anticipated sights - we all wait patiently for the floral show. I hope you've seen some of my photos on my Instagram page @MarthaStewart48. Friends and family love the peonies as much as I do and rush to see them in all their splendor. When I first planted this garden, I knew I wanted many, many peonies in one large area. I chose a location across from my Winter House, where there's lots of room and full sun - a spot where I could also see them from my window.
Enjoy these photos.
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- In early May, my herbaceous peony bed is filled with knee-high stems and dense green foliage. Everyone is always so excited to see this peony garden explode with color. Before the flowers appear, my outdoor grounds crew puts up stakes, so the peonies are well-supported as they grow. We use natural twine and metal uprights I designed myself for this purpose.
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- A week later, look at all the buds atop the stems. When I first planted my peony garden, I focused on pink varieties, and planted 11-double rows of 22-peony types. I chose the varieties for their colors, their forms and their long blooming periods.
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- By the third week of May, the first blooms appear. One of the reasons these peonies thrive here at my farm is because of the soil. It has a pH of 6.5 to 7.0, which is ideal. It is also amended with superphosphate and Azomite, a natural product mined from an ancient mineral deposit in Utah. These natural additives improve root systems and overall plant vigor, resulting in this fantastic profusion of blooms.
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- The peony is any plant in the genus Paeonia, the only genus in the family Paeoniaceae. They are native to Asia, Europe, and Western North America.
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- Peonies are one of the best-known and most dearly loved perennials – not surprising considering their beauty, trouble-free nature, and longevity.
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- By the start of June, the beds are nearly all filled with blooms.
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- Herbaceous peonies grow two to four feet tall with sturdy stems and blooms that can reach up to 10-inches wide. We spaced the plants about three to four feet apart to avoid any competing roots.
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- Peony blooms range from simple blossoms to complex clusters with a variety of petal forms.
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- The single form includes flowers with one or two rows of petals that surround the stamens and anthers in the center.
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- The peony’s fragrance can vary, but most have sweet, clean scents. And, do you know… pink peonies tend to have stronger fragrances than red peonies? Double form white peonies are also very aromatic.
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- Semi-double peonies are those which have single or double rows of broad petals encircling more broad petals and an exposed center crown.
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- This flower form is a bomb with a large number of petals rising in the center to form a distinct mound.
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- Flower colors come in white, pink, yellow, red and coral and the various shades and tints of each.
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- The peony is a perennial flower. The majority of peonies are hybrids and classified as herbaceous, or as deciduous tree peonies. The peony is showy, frilly with thick, large green leaves and tuberous root systems.
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- These blooms just pop in the garden. ‘Beautiful Señorita’, a Japanese variety, has a double row of deep, pink guard petals and a creamy center.
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- The leaves of the herbaceous peony are pointed with a shiny, deep green color.
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- Peonies are considered northern flowers – they tolerate and even prefer cold winter temperatures. They are hardy in zones 3 through 8 and need more than 400-hours of temperatures below 40-degrees Fahrenheit annually to break dormancy and bloom properly.
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- This is ‘Star Power’. It has pure white, large blossoms with bold round guard petals and red tipped stigmas. When using peonies for cut flowers, gather them early in the morning, and cut those whose buds are beginning to show color and feel similar to firm marshmallows. Always cut the stems at an angle and change the water daily.
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- This light pink peony is so pretty in the morning light. Peonies usually bloom quite easily. Always be sure the plants get at least six hours of full sun per day.
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- Among the varieties in my collection – ‘Elsa Sass’, ‘Victorian Blush’, ‘Fringed Ivory’, ‘Martha’, ‘Madylone’, ‘Lullaby Coos’, ‘Vivid Glow’, ‘Angel Cheeks’, ‘Miss America’ and ‘Flying Pink Saucers’.
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- For the most part, peonies are disease resistant. They do, however, take some time to get established, so be patient. And if you happen to see ants crawling on your peonies, don’t worry. The insects are attracted to the sugary syrup produced by the buds. Once the flower opens fully, and the sucrose has been finished, the ants disappear.
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- Plant peonies away from trees or shrubs, and provide them with shelter from strong winds.
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- The only disadvantage of peonies is that each field yields one crop of cut flowers for a couple of weeks only once a year, and then that’s it – until the next season when they bloom with splendor once again.
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