How to plant & grow peonies
Your step-by-step guide to growing peonies, how to grow them and when to care for them.
1 bare root, for autumn planting 200000-1 | £6.95 |
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3 bare roots, for autumn planting 200000-3 | £17.50 |
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1 bare root, for spring/summer planting 510938-1 | £7.95 |
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When in stock, please allow up to 2 weeks for delivery.
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3 bare roots, for spring/summer planting 510938-3 | £19.95 |
In stock
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When in stock, please allow up to 2 weeks for delivery.
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Or buy this as part of our Bestselling Peony Collection.
Everyone's favourite peony, with ivory white flowers and the sensational scent of Lily of the Valley.
Once they've got themselves established, there are few more magnificent garden plants and cut flowers than peonies. Their season may be quite short, but if you have room in your garden, you have to include them.
They are the most luscious of all cut flowers, particularly when they're scented – like many of these. Kept cool, they should last at least two weeks in a vase.
Genus | Paeonia |
Group/Species | lactiflora |
Variety | Duchesse de Nemours |
Type | Herbaceous Perennial Shrub |
Common Name | Peony |
Border Position | Middle |
Bulb Size | 2/3 |
Soil Type | Chalky, Neutral |
Scent | Scented |
Site | Full Sun |
Moisture | Moist but Well-drained |
Height | 90cm (36in) |
Spacing | Spread of 80cm (32in). Plant crowns just below the surface with resting buds no more than 3cm below the soil. You'll want clumps of 3 to 4 to give you enough for cutting. |
Sowing, Seeds, Planting | Container-grown plants can be planted at any time. Ideally, bare-root peonies should be planted between autumn and early spring unless the ground is frozen or waterlogged. If you are not able to plant straight away, pot them on into a large container ready to transplant when conditions allow. Remember on arrival to soak the root well before planting. Peonies prefer heavier soils (but not waterlogged), in a sunny or lightly shaded position. Mix plenty of organic matter into the planting hole and add grit on very heavy soils. Don’t plant too deep. The eyes of the peony roots should be no more than 3-5cm below the soil surface. Any deeper and they may not flower well. For the same reason, avoid mulching as this will gradually bury the crown. Herbaceous peonies are fine in a pot for a few years but their large root system will ultimately outgrow it. Shield from sun and use a soil-based compost with extra grit and lime. |
Care Tips | In early spring apply a balanced slow-release fertiliser around the base of the plant and mulch with well-rotted compost, avoid burying crown. Dead-head after flowering. Will not flower in its first year. Divide large plants in autumn, remove sections of the crown with at least three dormant growth buds each and roots attached. You may need to stake. Only take 1 or 2 stems from a plant for cutting. For a full guide to growing peonies see our advice pages. |
Flowering | May - June/July |
Vase Life | They must be put in water straight away after picking. Pick in bud or full flower. They may last 2 weeks if water is kept clean. |
Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
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Your step-by-step guide to growing peonies, how to grow them and when to care for them.
Plant Delivery - When in stock, please allow up to 2 weeks for delivery.
Click here to find out more information about our delivery rates and times.
Paeonia lactiflora 'Duchesse de Nemours' reviews
Reviewed 5th August 2019 by Jocelyn Good strong plant grew on well. |
Reviewed 31st July 2019 by Gillian Too early to say,, I have tended them carefully and the plants look healthy but sadly there are to be no flowers in the first full year. |
Reviewed 31st July 2019 by Susan
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Reviewed 31st July 2019 by Jan Bit smaller Than I thought but growing on ok |
Reviewed 31st July 2019 by Sue All my plants are gorgeous. Never been able to grow sweet peas but mine this year are glorious |
Reviewed 31st July 2019 by Marja As a first time gardener, the Sarah Raven website has been a great resource for me. Most of what I have bought and tried have done really well with only a few small fails. Anytime I write to their customer services department I always get a prompt reply with advice and they have replaced most of what didn't thrive. I don't always take up the replacement offer however as I feel like not everything is meant to thrive in every garden anyway so the experimenting is the best part. Delivery is quick and efficient, everything well packaged. It's nice to see good customer service for a change! |
Reviewed 31st July 2019 by Gabrielle
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Reviewed 3rd October 2018 by Ela Beautiful and healthy, I potted it but didn’t have time to transplant to the ground |
Reviewed 19th September 2018 by Marion Large bare roots arrived and I potted them into 3-litre pots initially, as the border wasn't ready to receive them. They grew very well and when they were planted out, actually flowered. The accompanying advice sheet said they wouldn't flower this year so I was surprised. Lovely scent, beautiful creamy flowers. The top growth has coped with the hot summer and still looks good. |
Reviewed 3rd September 2018 by Camilla Service excellent and peonies healthy despite dry conditions |
Reviewed 3rd September 2018 by Mrs Watts Seems to be establishing itself fine, no flowers this season |