I used to have a ton of Peony’s. Over the years I don’t know what happened to them. So this year, I bought a bunch of new ones and they are blooming already! Peonies are such a beautiful flower for cutting and most have a beautiful scent. 
I purchased a couple Monrovia ones at Lowe’s, and bought some through Plant Addicts. Plant Addicts is a great mail order company that has a great selection of plants. I have purchased several shrubs, Peonies and Daylilies from them and every plant has come in perfect and much larger than I imagined. 
I do have this one tree peony that I have had for years. I did also have a yellow tree Peony but its no longer there so I’m not sure what happened to it.
Peonies can be purchased by bare root
Funny thing about Peonies. Some last well when cut in a vase of water, and some don’t. I’ve noticed the Sarah Bernhardt variety last very well and the petals don’t drop off.
There are three types of Peonies:
Herbaceous:
Grow from Sporing thru Fall and then die back for the Winter. They will need a support for the heavy blooms, so I use this one. I wait until the first year when the plant dies back but yet you can still see where the plant is. When the plant grows the next Spring, the stems will go between the grates and have a perfect support for the heavy blooms. There are also other types of supports, but this one is pretty dependable.
Woody:
Woody varieties are the tree peonies. In the Fall, they lose their leaves, but retain the woody stems. So make sure to plant in an area they will not get plowed over or piled with snow over the Winter. Their flowers can get to be 9 inches in diameter.
Itoh/Intersectional:
Itoh peonies are a cross between Herbaceous and Woody peonies. They take quite a few years to develop and cannot be grown from seed. They are much pricier than other Peony varieties. They are the longest blooming some lasting 4 weeks.
Peonies have many shapes:
Single – five or more guard petals with showy stamens, with a flat or cupped shape.
Anemone – cluster of stamens, usually yellow surrounded by flat open petals.
Japanese – visible stamens with more layers of ruffled petals.
Semi-Double – a traditional look, even more layered with a central cluster of petals; stamens may peek out.
Double – two or more rows of petals obscure the stamens – a distinct dome shape with a flat base.
Bomb – a large dome with a cluster of one or more rows of slightly smaller petals.
If you are feeding the bees, the single variety is better as it is easier for the bees to reach the stamens.
Fertilizing:
Fertilize with a little bulb fertilizer after flowering.
Flowering times for Peonies:
Very early – between mid and late April
Early – between late April and mid May
Mean – between mid and late May
Late – between late May and mid June
Very late – between mid and late June
Now matter what type you choose Peonies are something you will enjoy for years. Whether you pick them for displaying in vases, or just enjoy them in the garden, they are a perfect perennial anyone can grow.
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