Choosing planting

How to grow beautiful peonies in the garden?

Tips and tricks for beautiful flowering

Contents

Modified the 1 February 2026 by Angélique 4 min. Difficulty: Débutant

As April and May approach, peonies bloom and their lush, generous and often scented flowers delight us. The beauty of these perennial plants is matched by the care they require when planting if you want them to thrive in your garden. They are relatively resistant to disease and, once established, require little maintenance; the key to success with peonies is to provide them with good growing conditions so they can establish themselves and flower. How to grow beautiful peonies? Discover our tips and tricks to help you achieve superb flowering.

Difficulty

Distinguish between herbaceous peonies and tree peonies

Herbaceous and shrub peonies have slight differences in planting and maintenance. Herbaceous peonies grow up to one metre tall and have deciduous foliage that disappears in winter. In spring, new growth reappears before flowering in May. Shrub peonies have a shrub-like silhouette. They have woody stems and are taller than the herbaceous ones. They can reach 1 to 3 metres in height and also bear much larger flowers. They are more demanding to grow than herbaceous peonies and only flower after 3 to 5 years of growth.

As its name suggests, the shrub peony forms a bush with stiff branches

Plant peonies in good growing conditions

A sunny, wind-sheltered exposure

Plant peonies in full sun and sheltered from the wind. The ideal site for a peony to flower is a sunny, wind-sheltered exposure. Shrubby peonies prefer a west-facing aspect and dislike windy conditions.

A clay soil, rich, deep and well-drained

Plant peonies in rich, deep, cool, well-aerated and well-drained soil. Peonies are not only heavy feeders, but they also fear excess moisture. They prefer clay soil enriched with compost, which promotes flowering. Shrubby peonies, on the other hand, do not like calcareous soil.

The right depth

A peony needs space to develop. Provide a hole 40–50 cm deep and wide. Do not plant it in a pot, as its roots are deep and it may run out of space.
Bury the crown to the correct depth. For a herbaceous peony, bury the crown 3 cm below soil level. For a shrub peony, place the crown at a depth of 5–6 cm, ensuring the collar is not buried. If the crowns are buried too deeply, peonies may not bloom.

The right distance

The peony does not tolerate competition from the roots of other plants. Give it plenty of space and plan a generous planting distance between plants. Allow between 50 cm and 1 metre depending on peony varieties.

Mark the peony crown

When planting a peony crown, mark its location with a stake to avoid damaging the buds that will push up and may not be visible.

Space is needed for the herbaceous peony that emerges from the soil in spring and place a marker, as it is inconspicuous at first

The best caring tips for peonies

Mulching, but not too much

When planting a peony root crown, mulch the base, but don’t overdo it. Peonies prefer their roots to be in cool soil, but it must remain well-drained. Too much moisture risks preventing the peony from flowering.

No competition

Ensure nearby bushes or trees do not grow too large so that the peony, initially placed in full sun, does not end up in shade and lacking sufficient light to flower. You can prune neighbouring bushes and trees, if necessary, to give the peony sufficient sunlight.

Applying compost

Peonies are hungry plants. If you feed them well, they will reward you with generous flowers. In early spring, apply compost at the base of the peony to help it flower. Be careful not to use a fertilizer too rich in nitrogen, as this would encourage leaf growth at the expense of flowering.

Pruning at the right time

Do not prune the peony after flowering as it needs its leaves to regenerate. Pruning is done at the end of autumn when the leaves are withered.

No relocation

Avoid moving a peony once established. This plant does not like being moved at all and may fail to flower if relocated.

Adequate watering

When it comes to watering, the peony needs to be well watered in spring and summer, but not excessively to avoid rotting. After heavy rains, rake the soil at its base to aerate it and prevent excess moisture. During this operation, take care not to damage the peony’s roots.

Patience

Peonies may not flower in the first year. Bush peonies generally bloom only after about 3 to 5 years of cultivation. So you’ll need to be patient.