Planting Peonies

We have this large Peony garden near home. We often take Buddy for walks there. We like these fat, fluffy delicate flowers that are loaded with ants.

This season, in our mixed border at home, cream colored peonies bloom with  iris and chives. 

Here's one of our peonies in full bloom. This bush generally blooms a week or two before Memorial Day.

My brother brought in this beautiful peony from his garden. He has a lot of peonies but my favorite of his collection are the light pink with cream colored centers. These are gorgeous! A bouquet takes up a lot of space as a single bloom is the size of a dinner plate. Occasionally, we place 1 bloom alone in a vase.

Peonies like full sun and butterflies are attracted to them. Here is a  Monarch on my Aunts peony bush.

Peonies are usually sold as bare-root tubers with three to five eyes. 

It's normally a good idea to soak them a few hours before planting. This will re-hydrate them.

We normally plant in the fall and always set the root so the eyes face upward.

In the Midwest, we don't bury the root deeper than 2 inches. 

After a few years, the blooms become so heavy so you may wish to cage them. 

Remember peonies don’t like to be moved once they’re established.