Plantoftheweek

PAEONIA LACTIFLORA ‘BUCKEYE BELLE’

OF ALL early summer plants, this has been an absolute belter in my garden. Among the first of the lactiflora peonies to flower, my plant opened on June 1. Though newly transplanted last autumn, it carries two whopper flowers in the richest ruby crimson, the larger measuring 19cm across. Herbaceous peonies such as these can take a while to mature. But they’re star perennials for early to mid-summer. All varieties of P. lactiflora thrive in any well-drained soil in full sun. They can be split but are slow to recover, so division is only advisable when age reduces their blooms.