Paeonia x lactiflora Lady Alexandra Duff

The 'Lady Alexandra Duff' Peony is an old English variety, endowed with exquisite charm. This lovely variety, whose flowering somewhat resembles that of certain old roses, is now making its way back into our flowerbeds, much to the delight of lovers of beautiful plants that are easy to grow. It produces double to semi-double globe shaped flowers, of a delightful pale pink to white colour, often touched with red at the centre. In addition to the undeniable beauty of its flowers, this variety boasts sturdy stems that do not require staking and a delicate fragrance, qualities that are particularly appreciated in bouquets. It blooms in the middle of the peony season, on beautiful, fine, shiny, dark green foliage. Its flowers, magnificent in the garden, are sublime in bouquets.

Chinese herbaceous peonies are mainly derived from Paeonia lactiflora, a perennial herbaceous plant native to central and eastern Asia (from eastern Tibet and northern China to eastern Siberia), where it naturally grows in woods and meadows. This plant belongs to the Ranunculaceae or Paeoniaceae family.

The Lady Alexandra Duff variety is a cultivar obtained in 1902 by James Kelway, awarded by the Royal Horticultural Society in England. The plant forms a bushy herbaceous clump from spring, reaching 80 to 90 cm (32 to 35in) in all directions. Its large 13-15 cm (5-6in) diameter flowers appear from the second half of May, earlier or later depending on the climate, for about two weeks. They start as a large pink bud, then open into a more or less double pompom depending on the position of the flower on the stem: terminal flowers are fully double, while those that open from lateral buds are semi-double. Their colour is a more or less pale pink depending on the temperature and nature of the soil, slightly deeper at the centre of the flower. The pink fades to white over time, and it is often the case that the small petals in the centre of the corolla are slightly stained with red. The fragrance of this variety is both sweet and very noticeable. The young purple and shiny foliage unfolds into large, dark green, deeply cut leaves. They are borne on a petiole that divides into 3, with lanceolate or ovate-lanceolate segments. The leaflets are entire or sometimes lobed. They disappear in winter, while the buds that will develop in spring persist at ground level. This long-lived perennial plant grows from a large fleshy root that does not appreciate being moved.

Peonies are among those plants that form the foundation of a garden. In the past every garden, from the humblest to the most elaborate, proudly displayed clumps of peonies that made their way into the house, keeping  lilacs and bluebells company in bouquets. Fragrant and innocent, the Chinese peony Lady Alexandra Duff thrives in borders or alongside pathways, combined with timeless and unpretentious perennials such as Irises, Columbines, bellflowers, perennial larkspurs, carnations or Christmas roses. It can also be grown in the vegetable garden to supply cut flowers for the house. However, growing in a pot is not recommended, as its needs will not be met. Over time, the peony becomes majestic and flowers more abundantly, producing up to 60 flowers. A bouquet composed of peonies, campanulas, lilacs, and old-fashioned roses like Buff Beauty will make a big impact in the house.