Best Peony Varieties: 12 to Grow in the UK

The best peony varieties for UK gardens are ‘Sarah Bernhardt’ for scent, ‘Bowl of Beauty’ and ‘Coral Charm’ for something different, ‘Joseph Rock’ as a tree peony and ‘Bartzella’ for yellow. Pick from all three peony groups and you’ll have flowers from late April to the end of June.

Peonies live for decades in the right spot, so it pays to choose carefully. This guide compares 12 varieties by colour, scent, height and flowering time. For planting and year-round care, see the guide to growing peonies.

Herbaceous, tree or Itoh: which peony type suits you?

Choose a herbaceous peony for the classic June border, a tree peony for early, huge flowers on a shrub, or an Itoh for big blooms on stems that stand up alone.

Herbaceous peonies are the familiar kind. They come up in spring as red shoots, flower in June and die back in autumn.

Tree peonies are slow woody shrubs. They flower a few weeks before herbaceous types, so a late frost can catch the buds. Give them a sheltered spot out of frost pockets.

Itoh peonies are crosses between the two. They die back like herbaceous peonies but have bigger flowers and strong stems. They were first bred in Japan and include some of the best yellow peonies.

Six best herbaceous peonies

These are reliable, widely sold herbaceous peonies that flower well across the UK.

‘Sarah Bernhardt’ is the classic. It has big, scented, pale pink double flowers in June. The heavy heads need support.

‘Bowl of Beauty’ has a ring of pink outer petals around a cushion of pale cream, narrow petals in the middle. It has strong stems and rarely needs staking.

‘Coral Charm’ opens a rich coral and fades to apricot and then creamy yellow. One plant can show all three shades at once. It has semi-double flowers on sturdy stems.

‘Sarah Bernhardt’ is the peony most people picture. Big, scented and pink, it’s an easy first choice.

‘Festiva Maxima’ is a scented white double with small crimson flecks deep in the petals. It is an old variety that is still widely grown. Give it a support ring, as the flowers are heavy.

‘Karl Rosenfield’ has full, deep crimson double flowers. It is a good choice if you want a rich red. Light support helps after rain.

‘Duchesse de Nemours’ is a scented white double with a creamy centre. It is a lovely cut flower and suits white planting schemes.

‘Coral Charm’ changes colour as each flower ages, from coral to peach to cream. It’s like three plants in one.

Four best tree peonies

Tree peonies are slower and cost more, but the flowers are spectacular. They can take a few years to settle in and flower well.

‘Joseph Rock’ (Paeonia rockii) has huge white single flowers with dark maroon blotches at the centre. It is scented and flowers in May.

‘Souvenir de Maxime Cornu’ has heavy, ruffled yellow flowers edged with red-orange. They are scented but tend to nod, so plant it where you can look up into the flowers.

‘Black Pirate’ has very dark maroon-red flowers with a golden centre. It makes a dramatic contrast with pale walls or silver foliage.

‘High Noon’ has lemon-yellow, semi-double flowers with a light scent. It is one of the easier yellow tree peonies.

‘Joseph Rock’ is a show-stopper in May. Those dark blotches make every flower stand out.

Two best Itoh peonies

Itoh peonies give you large flowers, strong stems and colours that are hard to find elsewhere.

‘Bartzella’ is the best-known Itoh. It has big, lemon-yellow semi-double to double flowers and lots of them once settled. The stems hold the flowers up without help.

‘Cora Louise’ has white to pale pink semi-double flowers with a lavender-purple flare at the centre. It is lightly scented and grows into a neat, rounded clump.

‘Bartzella’ holds its big yellow flowers up on strong stems. No staking, no flopping after rain.

Peony comparison: which variety for which job?

Use this table to narrow down your choice by what matters most to you.

For cutting, pick herbaceous types when the buds feel soft like a marshmallow. The guide to conditioning cut flowers helps them last in the vase.

Peony flowering calendar by group

Peonies flower in a relay, so mixing groups gives the longest show.

Timings vary by a week or two with the season and where you live. Northern gardens usually flower a little later.

Planting depth for each peony type

Planting too deep is the most common reason a peony won’t flower, whatever the variety.

Herbaceous and Itoh peonies: the buds on the crown, called eyes, should sit no more than 2.5cm below the soil. Plant any deeper and you may get leaves but no flowers.

Tree peonies are different. Most are grafted onto a rootstock, so plant them deeper, with the graft union about 10-15cm below the soil. This lets the named variety make its own roots.

These pink buds, or eyes, should sit just under the soil. Bury them deeper and the plant may never flower.

Common mistakes when choosing peonies

• Choosing heavy doubles for a windy spot. Big doubles flop after rain. Pick singles, ‘Bowl of Beauty’ or an Itoh instead, or plan for supports. The guide to staking tall perennials shows how.
• Putting a tree peony in a frost pocket. Early buds get frosted. Choose a sheltered spot near a wall.
• Expecting flowers in year one. Most peonies take two or three years to flower well. Be patient.
• Planting in shade. Peonies need at least half a day of sun to flower well.
• Leaving buds to rot. In wet springs, some doubles fail to open. The guide to flower balling in peonies explains why.

After flowering, deadhead the spent heads but leave the leaves until autumn. The guide to deadheading peonies shows where to cut. For more long-lived border plants, browse the plants hub.

Frequently asked questions

Which peony variety is best for UK gardens?

‘Sarah Bernhardt’ is the best all-rounder for most gardens. It has big, scented pink double flowers and is widely sold. For something different, try ‘Bowl of Beauty’, ‘Coral Charm’ or tree peony ‘Joseph Rock’.

What is the difference between herbaceous and tree peonies?

Herbaceous peonies die back to the ground each winter; tree peonies keep woody stems. Tree peonies grow slowly into shrubs about 1.5-2m tall and flower earlier. Itoh hybrids die back like herbaceous types but have big, tree-peony-like flowers.

When do peonies flower in the UK?

Tree peonies flower first, from late April into May. Itoh hybrids and herbaceous peonies follow from late May through June. Growing one of each group gives about six to eight weeks of peony flowers.

Which peonies are the most fragrant?

‘Sarah Bernhardt’, ‘Festiva Maxima’ and ‘Duchesse de Nemours’ are well known for scent. Many tree peonies are lightly scented too. ‘Coral Charm’ has little scent, so check the label if fragrance matters to you.

Do peonies need staking?

Heavy double varieties usually do. Rain fills the big flowers and bends the stems. Put grow-through supports in place in spring, before the shoots reach about 30cm. Singles, semi-doubles and Itoh hybrids usually stand up alone.

Are peonies safe for pets?

No, peonies are listed as toxic to cats and dogs. Chewing them can cause vomiting and an upset stomach. Most pets leave them alone, but watch young dogs that like to chew.

Now you’ve chosen your peonies, find good border partners in the guide to the best perennial plants for UK gardens.