Growing guide

Paul's notes from growing peonies in Canterbury since 1986: how to plant them, why they sometimes don't flower, and what to look for in a cut flower.

• Growing instructions for the home gardener Planting depth, where to plant, feeding, watering and keeping peonies healthy.
• Why peonies do not flower The usual reasons a peony grows but does not bloom, and what to do.
• What are the best cut flower varieties? What makes a good cut flower peony, and the varieties we've grown for cutting.
• What are intersectional or Itoh peonies? Crosses between herbaceous and tree peonies, and how they grow.
• An introduction to tree peonies How tree peonies differ from herbaceous peonies, and how to grow them.
• Importing from the Southern Hemisphere What to expect when roots from New Zealand arrive in a Northern Hemisphere summer.