(Wood Sorrel)

Commonly dubbed “wood sorrel”, many would take one look at its bright green, trifoliate leaves and call it “Irish shamrock”, though this small, mat-forming perennial is native to areas far beyond Ireland. In fact, it can be found growing in temperate woodlands across the expanse of the Northern Hemisphere.

Wood sorrel grows from small bulb-like rhizomes that go dormant in winter or during periods of drought. In spring, light green leaves with three heart-shaped leaflets blanket the ground. The...

(Big Ben Herbaceous Peony, Herbaceous Peony)

The large, fragrant, fully double flowers of 'Big Ben' are deepest rose red and appear early in the season. This old American selection was bred by Edward Auten Jr. of Princeville, Illinois in 1943. Like most double peonies, the flowers are heavy and should be staked to keep them from flopping in inclement weather.

The herbaceous peony is an all-time garden favorite. This large, bushy perennial originates from eastern Asia and has been bred for thousands of years. There are literally hundreds...

(Herbaceous Peony)

Herbaceous peonies are an all-time garden favorite. These large, bushy perennials originate from eastern Asia and have been bred for thousands of years. There are literally hundreds of wonderful cultivars available, and plants are commonly sold in catalogs because their fleshy rooted crowns are easy to store and ship. They are also virtually impossible to grow from seed and can take years before they first flower post germination.

They are primarily grown for their large, showy flowers that may...

(Garden Peony, Herbaceous Peony)

This bold peony produces fully double crimson red flowers in spring. These stand on stems that are mottled with dark red. Like most double peonies, the flowers are heavy and should be staked to keep them from flopping in inclement weather.

The herbaceous peony is an all-time garden favorite. This large, bushy perennial originates from eastern Asia and has been bred for thousands of years. There are literally hundreds of wonderful cultivars available, and plants are commonly sold in catalogs...

(Garden Peony, Herbaceous Peony)

The large, puffy pink and cream blooms of 'Adonis' are fragrant, long-stemmed and appear in late spring or early summer. Like most double peonies, the flowers are heavy and should be staked to keep them from flopping in inclement weather.

This standard garden peony is tall, bushy, vigorous and has long, stout stems lined with deep green foliage. The late-season blooms have a layered look with many large, candy pink outer petals and shorter, cream to pale yellow inner petals. These are very fragrant...

(Garden Peony, Herbaceous Peony)

Herbaceous peonies are an all-time garden favorite. These large, bushy perennials originate from eastern Asia and have been bred for thousands of years. There are literally hundreds of wonderful cultivars available, and plants are commonly sold in catalogs because their fleshy rooted crowns are easy to store and ship. They are also virtually impossible to grow from seed and can take years before they first flower post germination.

They are primarily grown for their large, showy flowers that may...

(Garden Peony, Herbaceous Peony)

This pretty peony produces semi-double pink and cream flowers in spring. Like most double or semi-double peonies, the flowers are heavy and should be staked to keep them from flopping in inclement weather.

The herbaceous peony is an all-time garden favorite. This large, bushy perennial originates from eastern Asia and has been bred for thousands of years. There are literally hundreds of wonderful cultivars available, and plants are commonly sold in catalogs because their fleshy rooted crowns...

(Garden Peony, Herbaceous Peony)

Bearing large, snowy, double blooms midway to late in the peony season, this 1906 introduction is rarely grown today. It is a highly bred selection of Paeonia lactiflora, a large, bushy, tuberous perennial from East Asia that has been cultivated and treasured for thousands of years.

The dome-shaped blooms of this heirloom peony appear on willowy, medium-tall, sparsely leaved stems in late spring to early summer. The flowers are bitterly fragrant. Each blossom has a collar of large white...

(Garden Peony, Herbaceous Peony)

The deep red, double flowers of this rarely available cultivar appear in abundance in late spring, midway through the peony season. Introduced in 1927, it is a highly bred selection of Paeonia lactiflora, a large, bushy, tuberous perennial from East Asia that has been cultivated and treasured for thousands of years.

This ruby-red, dome-shaped flowers of this relatively short peony have irregular white markings. Each blossom has a collar of large "guard" petals cupping a central mass...

(Garden Peony, Herbaceous Peony)

Herbaceous peonies are an all-time garden favorite. These large, bushy perennials originate from eastern Asia and have been bred for thousands of years. There are literally hundreds of wonderful cultivars available, and plants are commonly sold in catalogs because their fleshy rooted crowns are easy to store and ship. They are also virtually impossible to grow from seed and can take years before they first flower post germination.

They are primarily grown for their large, showy flowers that may...