Peonies are the queens of the late spring garden, and landscaping with peonies can create breathtaking displays that return year after year. Their lush blooms and elegant foliage offer a fantastic foundation for stunning garden design ideas that combine color, texture, and structure.
These hardy perennials are surprisingly versatile. With a little planning, you can use them to craft borders, focal points, and even low-maintenance gardens that provide decades of beauty. This guide will walk you through the practical steps to integrate peonies into your landscape successfully.
Landscaping With Peonies
The first step to success is understanding the plant itself. Peonies thrive in full sun, needing at least six hours of direct light for the best blooms. They demand well-drained soil; sitting in wet conditions is a sure way to cause root rot. Once established, they are incredibly drought-tolerant and long-lived, often outliving the gardener who plants them.
Choosing the Right Peony for Your Space
You have three main types to consider:
* Herbaceous Peonies: These are the most common. They die back to the ground each winter and re-emerge in spring. They offer the widest range of flower forms and colors.
* Tree Peonies: These are woody shrubs that maintain their structure year-round. They produce enormous, often fragrant, blooms earlier in the season.
* Intersectional Peonies: A cross between the above two, these offer the leafy shrub of a tree peony but die back in winter. They are known for their prolific blooming and strong stems.
Consider bloom time, height, and color when making your selection. Mixing early, mid, and late-season varieties can extend your peony display for up to six weeks.
Planning Your Peony Garden Layout
Good design starts on paper. Sketch your garden bed, noting the sun’s path and existing structures. Peonies make excellent anchors in a mixed border due to their reliable form.
For a classic look, plant them in groups of three or five of the same variety. Odd numbers create a more natural, pleasing visual impact. Space them about 3 feet apart to ensure good air circulation, which prevents disease. Remember, these are large plants; a mature herbaceous peony can form a clump 3 feet wide.
Think about sight lines. Place taller varieties toward the back of a border or in the center of an island bed you can walk around. Shorter types work well at the front. Tree peonies, with their permanent woody stems, can be treated like small flowering shrubs in the landscape.
Creating Stunning Color and Texture Combinations
Peonies play well with others. The key is to choose companions that complement their style and cover their one main drawback: after blooming, the foliage is green but unremarkable.
Color Pairing Ideas:
* White or Pink Peonies: Pair with blue flowers like Nepeta (catmint), Salvia, or delicate Geranium ‘Rozanne’. The cool blues make the soft pinks and whites glow.
* Deep Red or Magenta Peonies: Contrast them with pale yellow flowers, like Lady’s Mantle (Alchemilla mollis) or creamy Iris. Silver foliage plants, such as Artemisia or Lamb’s Ear, also make the rich colors pop.
* Coral or Salmon Peonies: These unique colors look fantastic with purple foliage. Consider planting nearby Heuchera (Coral Bells) in shades of plum or a small purple-leafed Barberry shrub.
Textural Contrasts:
Peony foliage is bold and divided. Pair it with plants that have different leaf shapes and textures.
* Fine Texture: Ornamental grasses like Fountain Grass (Pennisetum) or the airy blooms of Baby’s Breath (Gypsophila) soften the peony’s solid presence.
* Broad Leaves: Hostas are a classic, shade-tolerant partner for peonies planted in areas with some afternoon shade.
* Spiky Forms: Irises or Siberian Iris bloom around the same time and their vertical leaves create exciting contrast.
Step-by-Step Planting for Long-Term Success
Planting peonies correctly is crucial. A mistake here can mean years of poor performance. The best time to plant bare-root peonies is in the fall, allowing them to establish roots before winter.
1. Dig a Wide Hole: Make it about 2 feet wide and 2 feet deep. Peonies appreciate a spacious start.
2. Amend the Soil: Mix the excavated soil with a few handfuls of compost or well-rotted manure. Avoid fresh manure, as it can burn the roots.
3. Position the Root: For herbaceous peonies, this is the most critical step. Place the “eyes” (the pink or white buds on the root) no more than 2 inches below the soil surface in warm climates, and 1-2 inches in cold ones. Planting too deep is the number one reason peonies fail to bloom.
4. Backfill and Water: Gently fill the hole, firming the soil as you go to remove air pockets. Water thoroughly to settle the soil.
5. Mulch Lightly: A thin layer of mulch helps retain moisture, but keep it away from the crown of the plant.
Caring for Your Peony Landscape
Peonies are low-maintenance, but a few simple tasks ensure they look their best.
* Watering: Water deeply during dry spells in the first year and during bud formation in spring. Established plants are quite drought-resistant.
* Staking: Many heavy double blooms will flop over, especially after rain. Use grow-through peony rings or stakes early in the season, so the plant grows through and conceals the support.
* Deadheading: After blooms fade, snip off the spent flower heads. This keeps the garden tidy and prevents the plant from wasting energy on seed production. Do not cut back the foliage until it dies back naturally in the fall, as it is gathering energy for next year’s blooms.
* Fall Cleanup: In late autumn, after frost has blackened the leaves, cut herbaceous peony stems to ground level and remove all debris from the garden to prevent disease overwintering.
Design Ideas for Different Garden Styles
Peonies can adapt to many garden aesthetics beyond the traditional border.
The Cottage Garden: Mix peonies loosely with roses, foxgloves, and climbing clematis. Allow plants to self-seed and mingle for a charming, informal look.
The Modern Garden: Use a single type of peony, like a pristine white or a bold red, planted in a bold drift or geometric pattern. Surround them with clean-edged gravel mulch and architectural plants like Boxwood.
The Low-Maintenance Garden: Combine peonies with other tough perennials like daylilies, coneflowers, and ornamental grasses. Once established, this garden needs minimal watering and care.
Focal Point Planting: Use a spectacular tree peony or a large, mature herbaceous peony as a solo specimen. Plant it where its brief but magnificent bloom can be apreciated, perhaps near a patio or garden bench.
Troubleshooting Common Issues
Even with the best care, you might encounter a problem or two.
* Ants on Buds: They are harmless! Ants are attracted to the sweet nectar on peony buds and do not harm the plant or cause it to open.
* No Blooms: The usual suspects are planting too deep, too much shade, or the plant is too young (it can take 2-3 years to bloom). An overabundance of nitrogen fertilizer can also promote leaves at the expense of flowers.
* Peony Wilt (Botrytis): This fungal disease causes buds to turn black and stems to collapse. Improve air circulation, avoid overhead watering, and remove any infected plant parts immediately.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Can I use peonies as cut flowers?
A: Absolutely! They are superb cut flowers. Cut when the buds are soft like a marshmallow and just starting to show color. Sear the cut stem end with a flame or dip in boiling water for 10 seconds to make them last longer.
Q: When is the best time to move or divide a peony?
A: Fall is the only time you should divide or transplant peonies. Doing it in spring can severely set them back.
Q: What are good companion plants for peonies that bloom later?
A: Choose plants that will cover the peony’s fading foliage. Later-blooming daylilies, Phlox, Russian Sage, and Asters are all excellent choices.
Q: How long do peony plants live?
A: With proper care, a peony can live for 50, 75, or even over 100 years. They are true heirloom plants.
Landscaping with peonies is an investment in future beauty. By choosing the right varieties, planting them with care, and combining them with thoughtful companions, you create a garden structure that provides a spectacular, reliable show each spring. Their timeless elegance and simple needs make them a cornerstone for any gardener looking to build a lasting, beautiful landscape.