Peony 'Sylvia'

A sensational white with strong stems that are perfect for picking. It has a light fragrance and the dark foliage is low growing and compact.
The exotic flowers of Peonies have been cherished since the 5th century. During their long and illustrious history, Peonies have been the flower favoured by Emperors and Gods. Fortunately, they are now accessible to the common gardener.

Peonies are vigorous, long lasting garden plants with prolific and opulent blooms. Their bushy growth and prolific flowering look wonderful in the garden and they make the most wonderful cut flowers.

Bear in mind, you will have to be patient to enjoy the flowers of Herbaceous Peonies as they need a little time to establish their roots – they have big blooms to fuel. But the wait will be justified for many years to come as they are extremely long lived.

It will take two to three years depending on conditions to get a good display. They might not look like they are doing much above the ground, but under the soil they are working hard. Mature plants can have a rootball that weighs almost 30kg and stretches up to 90cm across – this takes time to develop.

Peonies are heavy feeders, so you need to fertilise them regularly (Anzac Day and Cup Day are easy ways to remember when). They like lime, and lot’s of it, so be sure to indulge them. Plant your Peonies just beneath the surface with around 2cm of soil covering them. If they are too deep, they won’t flower well for you.

Peonies need cold winters (3-7C nights at least for around six weeks) for best flowers. As a general rule, if apples can grow so can Peonies.