Peonies only bloom for a short time and maintenance is not very easy, but of course they are beautiful with those enormous colourful flowers. Buying peonies for the vase is also a luxury because they are so beautiful to look at and also smell wonderful. There are 6 groups of peonies, all belonging to the genus Paonia. But there are various species and colours available, Tree Peonies become about 2 metres high, the Farm Peony is the most common species in Dutch gardens followed by the White Peony. The peony is named after the Greek God of healing Paieon. The meaning of the flower is to share love.
Peony planting, location and care
The peony is a perennial which can last up to 20 years if you take good care of it.
Planting, sowing or cutting is done in spring and the peony is a sunbather who wants to enjoy 6 hours of sunshine every day. Peonies that do not get enough sun will not open.
This plant is very sensitive to planting too deep. Cover the red ‘noses’ of the peony with a maximum of 2 centimetres of soil when planting, otherwise they will not bud.
If their feet get wet, they will not open during the flowering period. If the soil in the garden is very wet, you should add some sand. It is also possible to plant them in a higher part of the garden, but there is a chance that they will not flower for a year.
Peonies thrive on heavy clay soil, if your garden is sandy, give it enough compost to encourage growth and flowering. The peony is actually a shrub and needs a lot of space, keep this in mind when planting.