Peonies are a classic ingredient of the perennial border and have been in cultivation for over 2000 years. Beloved for their abundant blooms, the beauty of their exquisite flowers, their delightful fragrance, and their bold foliage changing shades over the seasons, peony flowers add a dazzling splash of color in the landscape.

Virtually carefree once established, they live for generations, are deer proof and produce some of the best cut flowers - making them one of Nature's loveliest perennials! Peony bouquets are a favorite of florists and many brides-to-be. Why not enjoy a peony bouquet at home?

Peonies bloom in late spring - early summer, starting in April and through the months of May and June. Sadly, peonies flower for a relatively short period of time, approximately 7-10 days. However, they do not all flower at the same time and are classified with a blooming time, ranging from Very Early to Very Late season, relative to other peonies. Therefore, to fill your garden with continuously blooming peonies throughout the season to up to 6 weeks, you may plan to plant a variety of cultivars, from Very Early- to Very Late season bloomers.

Notes:

• The actual date at which a specific peony variety begins to bloom depends on the climatic area you live in. Peonies grown in California or Florida will bloom much earlier than peonies grown in Illinois or Ohio.
• The blooming period will last longer in cooler weather while it will be profuse but fairly brief, if the weather is very hot and sunny.
•  Peonies do best in hardiness zones 3 to 8. If you are planting peonies in a warm spring or hot summer areas, the best varieties to grow would be Early to Midseason varieties as the Late season varieties may not bloom well if the temperatures become too hot.

To help you plan your late spring or early summer garden and facilitate your selection of peony varieties, here is a list of peony cultivars organized by blooming season. If you are an unconditional peony lover, select at least one peony from each group to enjoy their glamorous blooms longer!