Fragrant Peonies

Favored by most gardeners for the beauty of their exquisite flowers and their bold foliage changing shades over the seasons, peony flowers add a dazzling splash of color to 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!

And Mother Nature has been remarkably generous with the Paeonia genus as many peonies are also delightfully fragrant, adding one more positive dimension to your enjoyment of growing this fabulous garden perennial!

• Peonies’ fragrance range from sweet and rosy to citrusy and spicy.
• Some peonies are strongly scented, allowing the enjoyment of their scent at a normal viewing distance, while others require one’s nose to be closer to the bloom to enjoy their more moderate fragrance. These moderately fragrant peonies may be more appropriately used indoors, where their perfume will not be intoxicating.
• The fragrance changes during the day and may be affected by temperature and humidity, as well as the age of the flower. The blossoms that are warmed by the early morning sun upon first opening are often at their peak of fragrance and, later in the heat of the day, may be only moderately fragrant or not noticeably fragrant at all, as the volatile essential oils are evaporated from the flower.
• Generally speaking, the double, white, and pink peonies tend to be the most fragrant, while most single and red peonies do not have a scent – though there are a few exceptions.

Here is a selection of fragrant peonies that could become the highlight of your spring garden but are also superb for cutting and bringing indoors!