Tag: Peonies

If you enjoy peonies, I insist that you must have at least one pink variety in your garden.

It’s the classic color that most of us picture when we imagine the perfect peony. It’s the ideal color choice to highlight those elegant blossoms and evoke a sense of romance.

But pink isn’t just for adding sweetness to the flower garden. There is such a huge range of hues, from deep raspberry to salmon to shell pink.

Some peony flowers even sport a combination of hues, in stripes or spots. Gardeners with a penchant for drama will find plenty to choose from.

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3. Apricot Whisper

This peony doesn’t scream with neon colors and ruffled petals, it’s far more subtle than that.

Bred by Roy Klehm in 1999 as a tribute to his father, Carl G. Klehm, it has seven-inch single blossoms in the sweetest, pale apricot pink punctuated by red stigmas.

The Klehms are prolific breeders and have created many of the most beloved hybrid peonies out there.

‘Apricot Whisper’

The blooms cover the two-foot-tall shrub for a long time, and are sweetly fragrant. It’s enough to have you shouting for joy.

Add something sweet to your garden and grab one, three, or five bare roots from Eden Brothers.

4. Ballarena de Saval

A newer introduction to the peony world, ‘Ballarena de Saval’ is an Itoh intersectional hybrid introduced in 2001.

It was bred from P. lactiflora Seedling #52 and ‘Golden Era’ by Sonoma, California breeder Irene Tolomeo. She named it after her mother, Ballarena, not to be confused with the ballerina dancer.

The five-inch pastel lavender pink blossoms are punctuated by wine red at the base, highlighting the bright yellow stamens.

The long, open petals on the single flowers are mildly fragrant, made all the more intense by the sheer abundance of blooms on the shrub.

‘Ballarena de Saval’

After the flowers have finished for the year, the deep green leaves provide interest, followed by red foliage in the fall.

If you can picture ‘Ballarena de Saval’ with its mid-season blossoms in your garden, snag one at Nature Hills Nursery.

5. Bowl of Beauty

Sometimes I wonder where on earth people came up with the names for their plants. And sometimes, it’s as plain as the nose on my face.

Take P. x ‘Bowl of Beauty,’ for example. It’s pretty obvious that the bright, hot pink outer guard petals act as a bowl holding the ruffled, creamy yellow inner petals, known as petaloids.

This is no dip bowl, either. The peony flowers are massive! More of a salad bowl at nearly a foot across. The plant itself can grow up to three feet tall and blooms late midseason.

‘Bowl of Beauty’

This gem hit the market in 1949 after it was hybridized by Aart Hoogendoorn, a prolific plant breeder based out of Boskoop, the Netherlands.

Pop over to Nature Hills Nursery to purchase a ‘Bowl of Beauty’ for your space.

6. Butter Bowl

I know, with a name like ‘Butter Bowl,’ you’re probably imagining a yellow peony blossom.

But picture, instead, a decorative, fluted pink bowl cupping freshly churned butter. Now you’ve got the right idea.

The pink, cupped outer guard petals embrace ruffled, yellow inner petals on this six inch Japanese-style flower.

As the flowers age, the petals fade to a pastel hue. The plant itself grows to about 30 inches tall and is classified as a midseason bloomer.

‘Butter Bowl’

Reno Rosefield of Tigard, Oregon, bred this beauty in the 1940s, along with some other excellent hybrids such as ‘Moonglow’ and ‘Yosemite,’ and released ‘Butter Bowl’ in 1955.

If you can manage to keep the pollinators away long enough, go in for a deep inhale and enjoy the strong floral fragrance.

Nature Hills Nursery carries ‘Butter Bowl’ if you’d like to add this beauty to your garden.

7. Callie’s Memory

At first glance, you might not know how to categorize the color of ‘Callie’s Memory.’

Is it purple? Pink? Yellow? It’s all three. The heart of the blossoms are purple-red, and the petals are creamy yellow.

Throughout the picotee petals and especially at the edges are splotches of pinky-red and salmon.

‘Callie’s Memory’

The eight-inch blossoms appear in late midseason, and they last only a few days.

’Callie’s Memory’ was brought to us by noted Itoh breeder Roger F. Anderson of Wisconsin in 1999. He used ‘Martha W’ and a seedling called ‘SD19’ to create the 28-inch tall plant.

Bring the pollinators and the peony lovers to your garden with ‘Callie’s Memory.’

Find bare roots available at Nature Hills Nursery.

8. Candy Stripe

With red and white striped petals, ‘Candy Stripe’ is a sweet garden treat.

The double peony flowers emerge in midseason on a three-foot-tall plant. The bomb-type blossoms are thickly ruffled around a bright yellow center.

‘Candy Stripe’ was bred by R. F. Anderson from P. lactiflora ‘Minnie Shaylor’ and an unnamed seedling in 1981.

‘Candy Stripe’

While most of the blossoms should stay upright on the moderately thick stems, some of the larger flowers, which can reach up to seven inches across, might need staking.

Hardy in Zones 3 to 8, you can add this peppermint-like pleasure to your garden by visiting Walmart to pick up bare roots.

9. Cincinnati

William H. Krekler, a prolific peony breeder in Sommerville, Ohio, brought us the colorful ‘Cincinnati’ in 1962.

Standing at three feet tall and covered in double, deep pink flowers with silver-edged petals, the herbaceous shrub calls attention to itself with large, six-inch wide blossoms.

‘Cincinnati’

For a little extra pop of color, the bright yellow stamens peek through the petals on this late midseason bloomer.

Whether you want a picture-perfect garden shrub or something for your cut flower garden, you can find ‘Cincinnati’ available at Nature Hills Nursery.

10. Coral Charm

It’s easy to be charmed by this peony as it’s one of the first to bloom in the spring, shoving winter out the door with its colorful cheer.

The semi-double blossoms are made up of coral peach outer petals that cup yellow-orange stamens.

That would be impressive enough, but the flowers can stretch up to eight inches across in the right conditions.

‘Coral Charm’

As the petals age, they fade to a delicate ivory hue. The three-foot-tall shrub is extremely floriferous and has strong stems.

‘Coral Charm’ was created by breeder Samuel E. Wissing in 1964 using ‘Minnie Shaylor.’ It nabbed the American Peony Society Gold Medal in the same year.

Craving some early blooming charm? Bring home one, three or five roots from Eden Brothers.

11. Coral Fay

The five-inch, semi-double, fragrant, bright coral blossoms are just half the story of ‘Coral Fay.’

While many peony plants fail to impress once the flowers fade, the lacy, fern-like leaves of this cultivar add interest even after blooming.

‘Coral Fay’

You can see the parental resemblance to ‘Laddie’ in its finely cut foliage and smooth petals embracing the golden inner stamens. The 30-inch shrub is extremely floriferous.

This plant was brought to us by Dr. David Reath of Reath’s Nursery in 1973 and is an early bloomer.

Pop over to Nature Hills Nursery to grab one of your own.

12. Coral Pom Pom

The early midseason bomb type peony ‘Coral Pom Pom’ is a showstopper.

The young flowers emerge in bright pink before fading to a sweet coral with darker pink edges. Each blossom can reach up to six inches across.

Named for the Nobel-prize-winning Scottish microbiologist and physician who discovered the antibiotic penicillin.

It was created in 1950 by a breeder named Blonk in the Netherlands from ‘Sarah Bernhardt’ and ‘Bunker Hill.’

You can easily see the parental resemblance in the big, bold, double blossoms that are a few shades darker than the shell pink of ‘Sarah Bernhardt.’

‘Dr. Alexander Fleming’

The six-inch-wide, dark salmon pink blossoms have a heady fragrance, with long stems that make them perfect for cutting.

Nature Hills Nursery carries this classic late midseason beauty if he’s one you’d like to invite to your garden.

15. Etched Salmon

Bringing home the coveted American Peony Society Gold Medal in 2002 was the spectacular ‘Etched Salmon.’ The picture-perfect cupped double flowers are shell pink and rose gold.

The flat guard petals surround heavily ruffled interior petals on a six-inch blossom that is faintly fragrant, with a hint of mint.

‘Etched Salmon’

The three-foot shrub is a midseason bloomer and has long, strong stems, which makes them perfect for cut flowers.

It was bred by Lyman Cousins and Roy Klehm in 1981 and has had a loyal following ever since. Join the club and pick up one or three bare roots at Eden Brothers.

16. Felix Crousse

‘Felix Crousse’ is a classic French type peony that has been around since 1881, filling gardens with huge, bold, raspberry-pink double blossoms in late midseason.

Each six-inch head is packed with ruffled petals tipped in silver.

While the fragrant flowers are marvelous in the garden, the strong stems lend themselves to cutting and the flowers can last over a week in a vase.

‘Felix Crousse’

The three foot tall plant, bred by well-known breeder Felix Crousse in Nancy, France, is extremely vigorous.

Anyone who loves bright colors needs a ‘Felix Crousse’ in their garden. Get yours at Fast Growing Trees.

17. First Arrival

‘First Arrival’ is consistently at the top of many peony lovers’ lists. This Itoh flowers in midseason for up to four weeks, and boy are the blossoms impressive.

It’s one of the first Itoh peonies to bloom, and when it does, you’ll be treated to lavender-pink, semi-double blossoms that can be up to eight inches across.

Each petal has a reddish-purple base that adds dimensional ombre color, and at the center are bright yellow stamens. As the blossom ages, the petals fade to pale pink.

‘First Arrival’

‘First Arrival’ was bred in 1986 using ‘Martha W.’ and ‘Reath’ to create a two-foot-tall shrub that is covered in flowers when it starts blooming, and adds additional texture to the garden when not in bloom with its fern-like foliage.

Pick up a bare root of ‘First Arrival’ at Nature Hills. Send us pictures once it starts flowering, it’s one of my favorites!

18. Grace Batson

Gorgeous ‘Grace Batson’ has been around for nearly a century and still continues to enchant peony lovers.

21. Hillary

Itoh peonies are intersectional hybrid crosses between tree and herbaceous peonies and P. x ‘Hillary’ is one of the superstars.

The deep, rose-pink petals with a merlot base contrast beautifully with the yellow stamens at the center of the semi-double flowers.

The darker picotee tips are a delight when you step in close to inhale the mild fragrance.

‘Hillary’

Bred in 1999 by Roger F. Anderson, a self-taught, prolific peony hybridizer, the plant grows to about 30 inches tall.

It’s so pretty it nabbed the American Peony Society’s Award of Landscape Merit. Head to Nature Hills to bring her home to your garden.

22. Joker

‘Joker’ isn’t like other peonies. It’s like having two different plants in one.

This quick-change artist has dark, neon pink buds that open into bomb-type double flowers with the same deep hue.

24. Mister Ed

It’s the famous ‘Mister Ed!’ This peony has bomb-type double flowers.

The three-foot-tall bush produces mildly fragrant, bright fuchsia or pale pink flowers, making it look like you’ve mingled two different peonies together.

If you’re lucky, your plant might even grow a third colorway: frosty white with fuchsia dappling. Three plants for the price of one.

‘Mister Ed’

‘Mister Ed’ was bred by hybridizer Roy Klehm of the renowned Song Sparrow Nursery from a ‘Monsieur Jules Elie’ chimera in 1980.

While it inherited the beautiful coloration from its parent, ‘Mister Ed’ didn’t inherit the weak stems of ‘Monsieur Jules Elie,’ which means it will hold those six-inch blossoms without support.

Nature Hills carries ‘Mr. Ed,’ as it’s often spelled, in #3 containers. Bring one home to enjoy the midseason display.

25. Monsieur Jules Elie

Bred by horticulturalist François Félix Crousse in 1888, ‘Monsieur Jules Elie’ is an heirloom peony cultivar that can be found in classic peony gardens around the globe.

No one is quite sure who the namesake was, but he would undoubtedly be proud.

The outer “guard” petals of the deep pink, double flowers are flat, acting as a platform for the heavily ruffled center petals, which form a large, round mound.

Peonies with this flower form are known as bomb double, and they’re eye-catching.

And the blossoms are huge, measuring up to eight inches across on a three-foot-tall plant.

The stems are a bit loose, meaning you might need to stake the flowers. Or just cut them and add them to an arrangement, which is how they really shine.

‘Monsieur Jules Elie’

This plant is tolerant of heat, making it a favorite in southern gardens, and was a winner of the American Peony Society Gold Medal as well as the Award of Garden Merit of the Royal Horticultural Society in 1993.

Visit Nature Hills Nursery to bring home this Victorian garden staple in a #3 container to take advantage of the early midseason show.

26. Moon River

‘Moon River’ is picture-perfect. Some peonies look almost too perfect to be real, and this midseason beauty bred by Carl Klehm in 1972 is one of those.

28. Pastel Splendor

‘Pastel Splendor’ demands that you take a moment to truly enjoy the flowers throughout their lifespan.

At first, the petals open as bright pink with just a hint of yellow at the center and a magenta splotch at the base.

Then, they transition to primarily pale yellow petals rimmed in a thick edge of rose pink with a magenta base. At the center of each petal is a stripe of purple with yellow carpels.

Finally, the petals fade to nearly white with a pink-red flare at the base.

‘Pastel Splendor’

A midseason Itoh, it was developed in 1996 by Wisconsin breeders Roger F. Anderson and William “Bill” Seidl from ‘Martha W.’ and ‘Saunders F2.’

The 30-inch tall plant can produce an astounding number of flowers. We’re talking up to 70 blooms.

Find bare roots at Nature Hills Nursery and enjoy the show.

29. Pecher

Pêcher is a French word that describes the velvety skin of a peach, and it captures the look of the petals on this cultivar perfectly.

A rose-type with semi-double, ruffled blossoms, ‘Pecher’ has blush, peachy, and shell pink flowers with fuchsia highlights on the tips of the center petals.

‘Pecher’

It also has a strong, classic peony fragrance. The late-season shrub grows up to three feet tall with strong stems that can support the five-inch blossoms.

Capture ‘Pecher,’ also known as ‘Fleur de Pecher,’ at Nature Hills Nursery.

30. Pink Ardour

It’s all in the name. This is a lovely pink option that you’ll fall passionately in love with.

The fragrant six-inch raspberry pink blossoms look like someone turned up the saturation on them. The semi-double flowers last almost a week on the plant.

‘Pink Ardour’

A midseason Itoh, the toothed foliage on the 24-inch tall plant adds something special to the yard even when the flowers aren’t around.

You can find ‘Pink Ardour’ available at Nature Hills Nursery.

31. Pink Hawaiian Coral

I’m a sucker for ombre. In my clothes, interiors, and flowers, if I see something ombre, I’m drawn to it.

I was obviously a goner when I first saw the American Peony Society’s Gold Medal of 2000 winner ‘Pink Hawaiian Coral.’

Each semi-double five-and-a-half-inch flower has rose-pink outer petals that gradually fade to pale coral and then cream at the center of the blossom.

Tucked inside are mustard yellow stamens. The buds are reddish pink, adding yet another dimension of color to the 34-inch bush.

Developed by the revered hybridizer Roy Klehm, the flowers open earlier than other coral peonies, blooming in the early season. It’s also intensely fragrant.

32. Raspberry Charm

The pinkish-red petals of ‘Raspberry Charm’ will give you visions of canes weighed down with ripe fruit and raspberry juice staining your fingers and dribbling down your chin.

The fragrant, semi-double flowers have a mustard yellow center and can be up to seven inches in diameter on a three-foot-tall bush.

‘Raspberry Charm’

Bred by Samuel Wissing and Roy G. Klehm in 1968, the flowers emerge in early-midseason on strong stems that don’t require support.

Charmed? Me too. Pick up one, three, or five bare roots at Eden Brothers and enjoy the show.

33. Raspberry Sundae

You know that pale pink that you get when you order a raspberry sundae at an ice cream shop? That’s the color of the petals on ‘Raspberry Sundae.’

Take a deep inhale, though, and you’ll be treated to sweet floral notes rather than berries.

The petals toward the center of the seven-inch bomb-type flower tend to be a hint of darker raspberry pink than those on the outside, where they are a pale, milky pink.

Inside are layers of petals with hints of creamy yellow.

‘Raspberry Sundae’

‘Raspberry Sundae’ was first identified in 1951 and released in 1968 by Klehm.

It was bred from a cross of P. lactiflora ‘Charley’s White’ and an unnamed seedling. The flowers appear in early midseason on a three-foot-tall shrub.

Ready to dig in? Find yours at Eden Brothers, which carries one, three, or five bare roots.

34. Riches and Fame

The early to midseason blossoms of ‘Riches and Fame’ are semi-double and practically glow with a bright fuchsia hue.

Dig inside the mass of petals, and you’ll find golden stamens at the center of the six-inch heads, along with a few bees and other happy pollinators.

The flowers are fully double and have a sweet scent.

‘Riches and Fame’

The shrub grows to about three feet tall and blooms in midseason, and features stiff stems that can support the large blossoms.

If you’ve always dreamed of riches and fame, now is your chance. Head to Nature Hills Nursery to achieve your dreams.

35. Rome

‘Rome’ is what is part of the Patio series of peonies, which means that it’s extremely petite.

The plant rarely grows more than two feet tall and wide, making it perfect for growing in containers.

The fuchsia flowers are proportionally smaller but every bit as full, frilly, and bright as their larger counterparts, and they positively cloak the plant when they bloom midseason.

‘Rome’

You don’t sacrifice scent for size, either. They’re extremely fragrant, with sweet, spicy notes.

If you love peonies but don’t have room for a full-sized version, or you just want something a little more petite, visit Nature Hills Nursery for one of your own.

36. Sarah Bernhardt

It’s not every plant that can stick around for over a century and keep going strong. ‘Sarah Bernhardt’ not only survives but is one of the most popular peonies out there.

Released in 1906 by French plant breeder Victor Lemoine, who started Lemoine Nursery, there’s no question why.

The large, fragrant, ruffled, double blossoms are pastel pink with edging in the palest pink with flecks of fuchsia on a three-foot-tall shrub.

Each dramatic flower can be up to eight inches in diameter.

‘Sarah Bernhardt’

For an old-fashioned type peony, you really can’t find many that are better than this superstar, which was named after the famous French actress. It’s a late midseason type.

Find your own ‘Sarah Bernhardt’ in a #3 container at Nature Hills Nursery.

37. Shirley Temple

In the midseason period, pink buds open into shell pink, double, rose-like flowers measuring up to six inches across.

As the heavily fragrant, ruffled blossoms age, they fade to ivory. The guard petals are darker than the inner petals, giving it a multi-dimensional charm.

You might even find flecks of scarlet on the blossoms.

‘Shirley Temple’

‘Shirley Temple’ isn’t just a pretty face. The flowers are also resistant to balling in wet weather, which is when the petals fuse in moist conditions and the bud can’t fully open.

But the flowers will reliably open even in spring rain. She’s sure to be a superstar in your garden. You can find ‘Shirley Temple’ roots available at Eden Brothers.

38. Sorbet

Every time you look at this plant, it’s like being treated to a big bowl of refreshing raspberry sorbet.

This peony has five-inch flowers absolutely jam-packed with layers of petals in raspberry pink and cream.

The blooms are heavily fragrant and grow on strong stems, making them a delight for cutting. They even last a long time in the vase, staying attractive for over a week.

‘Sorbet’

The shrub grows to about three feet tall and is covered in blossoms midseason.

Craving ‘Sorbet?’ Find bare roots available at Burpee.

39. Top Brass

‘Top Brass’ is a trickster. To see it before the flowers fully open, you might think you’re looking at the white buds of a cream-colored peony. But give it a chance.

Once the flowers open fully, you’ll be treated to the most delicate pink petals you can imagine.

Clustered among pale golden petals, the effect is like the beginning of a desert sunset as the hint of pink and gold starts to streak across the horizon like watercolors.

‘Top Brass’

The six-inch bomb-type blossoms are sweetly fragrant and stand on top of the three-foot-tall shrub.

Bred by Carl Klehm from ‘Charley White’ in 1968, it’s a midseason bloomer.

You have to see this one to believe it and you can pick up ‘Top Brass’ at Nature Hills Nursery.

40. Villa Jovis

It’s impossible not to fall in love with ‘Villa Jovis.’

The midseason semi-double blossoms are coral-pink with just a faint watercolor-like brush of pale pink on the edges. Now and then, a petal will have faint purple stripes.

Pink Just Looks So Good On Us

To be honest, pink isn’t my favorite floral color for my garden. I typically lean towards dark red, white, purple, and yellow. But when it comes to peonies, the more rosy, blush hues, the better.

I just can’t imagine a more charming sight than a peony bush in full bloom, whether the hues lean toward salmon, fuchsia, coral, or something in between.

So, are you more of a vibrant flower grower? Do you prefer that your plants whisper in pastel? Share your favorite pink peonies in the comments section below, and let us know if one of these is calling your name.

The journey doesn’t end at picking a plant, of course. If you would like to learn more about peonies, we have several guides that might catch your eye, such as: