Grow These 18 Companion Plants With Peonies Says Little Budds Peony Farm
Elizabeth is a Permaculture Garden Designer, Sustainability Consultant and Professional Writer, working as an advocate for positive change. She graduated from the University of St. Andrews with an MA in English and Philosophy and obtained a Diploma in Applied Permaculture Design from the Permaculture Association.
Reviewed By COLIN SKELLY
Colin is a Horticulturist and Horticultural Consultant with experience in a range of practical and managerial roles across heritage, commercial and public horticulture. He holds the Royal Horticultural Society’s Master of Horticulture award and has a particular interest in horticultural ecology and naturalistic planting for habitat and climate resilience.
Contributions From KATE BLACKER
With 15 years of experience growing peony flowers, Kate is the Owner of the specialist nursery Little Budds Peony Farm. Kate specialises in the cut flower market and is known for her very large blooms.
Not only is she the President of the Pacific Northwest Peony Society, but Carol is also the owner of her own plant nursery, Adelman Peony Gardens. Having been awarded ‘Best of Show’ at 9 of the last 15 American Peony Society shows, Carol has also had a book published about peonies.
IN THIS GUIDE
Growing peonies can be a great choice for many gardens.
They can work particularly well in a cottage garden scheme, but what should you grow alongside and around your prized peony plants?
Companion Planting With Peonies
Companion planting peonies is all about choosing plants which:
- Will cope with similar growing conditions to peonies (full sun or partial shade, fertile, moist yet free-draining soil).
- Will not compete overly with peonies or be too impacted by their growth.
- Which look good in planting schemes alongside these flowers.
You might think about companion plants that:
- Bloom at the same time as peonies.
- Flower before your peonies emerge to ensure that your displays look good before the peony flowers.
- Are in flower after peony flowers finish for the year.
- Improve environmental conditions for peonies.
“In my own garden I have a variety of perennials and bulbs growing around the peonies,” says Kate Blacker from specialist nursery Little Budds Peony Farm.
“You don’t want to be disturbing [the] soiI close by. I use delphiniums as a backdrop to show them off and fragrant roses to extend the season of the border.”
“Try not to grow anything that will creep into that 1x1m space” – a rough guideline to the area peonies need to grow uninhibited.
Carol Adelman from the Pacific Northwest Peony Society also grows Delphinium with her peonies:
“Companion plants I grow include iris, delphinium, dianthus, heuchera, thalictrum, scabiosa, armeria, petunias, dusty miller, foxglove, and phlox.”
“I interplant the peonies with spring bulbs,” says Joan, Secretary of the Canadian Peony Society.
“Purple irises, including tall, bearded, and Siberian varieties, bloom at the same time and work nicely with peonies.
“I also have daylilies in front of my peonies for July and August colour.”
Plants To Grow Alongside Peonies
Lilac
Roses
Hydrangeas
Azaleas
Alliums
Day Lilies
Irises
Foxgloves
Delphiniums
Lupins
Plants To Grow Over Peonies
“The planting combination you choose will reflect the style of garden that you have,” shares Colin Skelly, a Master Horticulturist.
“Lupins and Delphinium would lend themselves to a looser, cottage garden style whilst Alliums and Iris could be used in a more regulated, formal arrangement.”
There are quite a number of trees that work well in the space above peony plants.
Amelanchier
Cherry Tree
Plum Tree
Magnolia
Dogwood
Plants To Grow Under Peonies
Mediterranean Herbs
Salvias
Spring Bulbs
Other Considerations
Of course, these are just a handful of suggestions and there are plenty of other plants that will make excellent companion plants for peonies.
Just remember to space and position plants correctly according to their size and form, and make sure you leave your peonies enough space to avoid damage or too much competition around the roots.
As well as considering flowering plants, you might also consider foliage plants such as smaller evergreen shrubs, ornamental grasses or other plants like heucheras or hostas.
Another thing to consider is growing more edible perennials around your edible peonies.
You might also place perennial vegetables like alliums and brassicas intermingled with ornamental flowering plants.
Plants To Avoid With Peonies
Avoid planting any aggressive ground cover plants close to peonies, since these can compete too much with peonies and may strangle the roots and crowd the crowns of your plants.
As long as you remember to keep competition in mind and think about the conditions that peonies and other plants prefer, you could not find it too challenging to develop a beautiful planting scheme with peonies and a wide range of other plants.
