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For 10 of the most beautiful peonies to grow in your garden, choose for more than color: flower form, bloom sequence, stem strength and suitability for your climate all matter. This varied selection includes cultivars recognized by the American Peony Society (APS) for ornamental merit or landscape performance; it is not a ranked list, and named plants may not be available from every nursery.
“Most beautiful” is a garden judgment, not a scientific ranking. The APS Gold Medal considers flower beauty and consistency alongside commercial availability and market price, while its Award of Landscape Merit recognizes reliable performance and self-supporting plants. See APS award listings and vendor resources to investigate availability.
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10 beautiful peonies for different colors, forms and bloom times
Peonies are generally spring-flowering plants, with herbaceous and intersectional types blooming from late spring into early summer. The sequence below describes relative timing, not guaranteed dates: local weather and growing conditions shift when flowers open.
1. ‘Rozella’ — late-season pink double
This dark, bright-pink double has densely layered petals and a light fragrance. The APS selected ‘Rozella’ for its 2026 Gold Medal and notes that it received an Award of Landscape Merit in 2009. Its late-season flowering can help carry color toward the end of a peony display. The APS calls it a “large, well-formed flower-in-flower double” that produces abundant blooms. APS awards
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2. ‘Bartzella’ — lemon-yellow Itoh
An intersectional, or Itoh, peony, ‘Bartzella’ bears large lemon-yellow flowers, usually semi-double to nearly double, with soft red flares near the center. The APS describes vigorous growth and strong stems. Its yellow coloring and substantial border presence make it a distinctive contrast to pink and red herbaceous varieties. APS Award of Landscape Merit summary
3. ‘America’ — upright red single
‘America’ offers a cooler medium-red single flower with a yellow center. Its open form differs sharply from the densely petalled doubles and bombs in this selection. The APS landscape merit summary highlights its exceptionally strong, upright stems. APS Award of Landscape Merit summary
4. ‘Angel Cheeks’ — cameo-pink bomb
This bomb-form peony has a full, high-built center of cameo-pink petals framed by lighter guard petals. The center develops its characteristic height as the flower matures. The APS notes mild fragrance and sturdy stems. APS Award of Landscape Merit summary
5. ‘Buckeye Belle’ — early mahogany-red semi-double
Dark mahogany-red petals, yellow anthers and burgundy-toned spring foliage give ‘Buckeye Belle’ several points of interest. It is an early-flowering, upright selection in the APS landscape merit summary, useful for adding color toward the beginning of the peony sequence. APS Award of Landscape Merit summary
6. ‘Canary Brilliants’ — apricot-yellow Itoh
‘Canary Brilliants’ is an Itoh peony whose best flowers are full semi-doubles in creamy apricot-yellow. The APS notes strong stems and a succession of buds, features that can help maintain interest as individual flowers pass. APS Award of Landscape Merit summary
7. ‘Coral Sunset’ — color-changing coral semi-double
The semi-double flowers open coral-rose, then widen and fade toward parchment as they age. Side buds can extend the display, according to the APS. Cold and freeze response varies by region, so local advice is useful when choosing this cultivar. APS Award of Landscape Merit summary
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8. ‘Do Tell’ — fragrant anemone form
‘Do Tell’ is an anemone-form lactiflora with light orchid guard petals around a variable pink center. It is fragrant, and the APS notes that side buds may extend its flowering period. The relatively open center gives it a different look from a traditional double. APS Award of Landscape Merit summary
9. ‘Etched Salmon’ — layered salmon-pink double
This double has salmon-pink petals with lighter outer surfaces. As those exposed surfaces lighten, the innermost petals retain more of their salmon coloring, giving the flower a subtle color contrast. The APS also notes strong stems. APS Award of Landscape Merit summary
10. ‘Gay Paree’ — fragrant Japanese/anemone form
Cerise-pink guard petals surround cream petaloids in this Japanese/anemone-form lactiflora. Its fragrance and strong stems are noted in the APS landscape merit summary. The contrasting center makes it a useful choice when the border already has many fully petalled flowers. APS Award of Landscape Merit summary
How to choose peonies for a longer, more varied display
Peonies have a concentrated spring bloom window, but a thoughtful mix can extend and diversify it. The APS Bloom Date Project compares cultivar timing relative to ‘Red Charm’; it is a guide to sequence, not a universal calendar, and many cultivars have not been studied there. The APS says combining herbaceous hybrids, species and woody peonies may extend the season by a month or more, but that is a potential rather than a guarantee for a particular garden. APS Bloom Date Project
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Random freezes, missing sound and display glitches usually trace back to one bad driver. Find and replace yours safely.Free scan · under a minute- Combine flower forms: singles such as ‘America,’ semi-doubles such as ‘Coral Sunset,’ and bomb or anemone forms provide contrast even when they bloom at similar times.
- Look for color transitions: ‘Coral Sunset’ changes from coral-rose toward parchment; ‘Rozella’ is a strong late-season pink option.
- Consider support needs: large flower heads can make staking useful. Strong stems are noted for several cultivars here, but performance in a particular site depends on growing conditions.
- Check local climate and supply: confirm the named cultivar, planting form and shipping season with the nursery, and ask whether it suits your region.
How to grow peonies successfully
Choose a sunny, well-drained planting site
Peonies do best in full sun and fertile soil improved with garden compost or well-rotted manure. They tolerate a range of soils, including clay, provided the ground does not stay waterlogged in winter or dry out in summer. The RHS recommends allowing about one square metre per plant, with roughly 1 m (3¼ ft) between plants depending on mature size. RHS peony growing guide
Plant at the right depth and season
For bare-root divisions, late autumn is the preferred planting time; potted peonies are best planted in late spring. Keep the bright red buds close to the surface: the RHS advises covering them with no more than 2.5 cm (1 in) of soil. Planting too deeply can reduce flowering. RHS peony planting guide
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Water, feed and support as needed
Water regularly through dry spells during the first year. Once established, peonies are deep-rooted and generally do not need routine watering. The RHS recommends spring fertilizer and an organic mulch, kept clear of the plant’s center. Support may help stems carry heavy flower heads. RHS peony staking guide
Give new plants time to settle
The APS uses “sleep, creep, leap” to describe the gradual establishment of peonies: flowering may take time to build rather than arriving at full strength immediately. It says peonies can live for more than 100 years with basic care and a good planting site; that is a general statement, not a lifespan guarantee. American Peony Society overview
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Divide only when an established clump needs it
If flowering declines, divide an established clump in autumn. The RHS advises that each division include at least three dormant buds and roots; a division may flower about two years later. RHS peony growing guide
Will peonies grow in a warm climate?
Winter chilling is a limiting factor in some warm regions. The APS cautions that peonies may be marginal south of the U.S. Interstate 20 region where winter chill is insufficient. High temperatures can also spoil flowers on late-opening, densely petalled varieties. Because conditions vary locally, seek advice from a nursery or grower familiar with your area before choosing a cultivar. APS peony planting guidance
Where to buy named peonies
Specialist nurseries generally offer the widest selection, commonly as bare-root divisions in late autumn; garden centers also sell potted plants. When ordering, verify the cultivar name, division size, shipping window and climate suitability rather than assuming every listed variety is available in every region. RHS peony buying guide
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