Even Chinese plant enthusiasts were early influenced by the round blooms of the peony, leading them to plant not only the well-known red flowers with yellow stamens. Thanks to the art of Chinese masters, we now have shrub peonies that bloom in yellow, white, and various shades of pink and red. For example, the peony varieties P. tenuifolia and P. veitchii, a particularly unique wild peony species, bloom in shades from pink to purple. The flowers of P. peregrina "Otto Froebel" have a beautiful salmon tone, and the open flowers reveal the yellow stamens, which contrast delicately with the glossy petals.

When selecting a location for your peonies, choose a sheltered spot that is sunny to partially shaded. While peonies love sunlight, they appreciate a light canopy as forest dwellers. The roots of the more than 30 peony species grow deep into the ground, so they thrive in a deep, loamy soil. Your peonies can remain in the same spot for many years and can occasionally be divided in the fall. This way, you'll always have new plants to expand your collection.

If you fertilize your peonies in the spring, at the beginning of sprouting, with a flowering plant fertilizer that is rich in potassium and phosphorus, and repeat the process after flowering, your peonies will thank you.

Otherwise, peonies are quite low-maintenance, and shrub peonies do not require further care. To keep your perennials healthy, cut them back to about 10 cm in the fall so that your bed looks tidy and the plants can enter their well-deserved winter dormancy.