Peony

A gorgeous guide with absolutely everything you've ever needed to know about growing peonies - I love peonies, but mine tend to...uh...not live very long...so this book is extremely helpful. Peonies are extremely beautiful, but they do require some special care.

Also, now I have about fifty new varieties of peony that I need to buy.

The Peony is a beautiful, fragrant flower that enhances any garden as they grow, get nurtured by and flourish from it. The flower can be bred in many forms and hybrids which create a wide variety of the flower I love.


This book is a great guide to tell us the history and cultural impact of the flower as well as how to grow them and what other flowers would go well with them if bedded and ongoing care tips to keep a healthy lot of them.


The index complete with gorgeous, rich coloured images of each one shows the plants various types and they are all so individual and unique they are a key plant we should see a lot more in my opinion!


Many thanks to the publishers for allowing me to review this book for them!

Peonies are beautiful. According to the David and Carol, they are the best plant ever and they profile 193 varieties in this colourful book. As you would expect, plenty of information on planting, watering, weeding, climate and soil. There's also tonnes of information about the varieties and what's best for where. Makes me want to plant a few more.

Until this book I had no idea that there existed so many varieties of Peony. They are a flower that grows in a bush. They were the favorite flowers of Blair Waldorf in Gossip Girl. This book looks at not only the various types of Peony, but the history of the breed, and what sets it apart. It gets intricate about what makes a Japanese hair ball looking center, or a fewer amount of leaves. It also includes resources on where you can purchase plants in most states, as well as gardens that can be visited. I do wish they would have added some online resources for those of us that do not live close to one the mentioned nurseries.

Amazing book, I really enjoyed all of the history of the peony and how important it was in the flower world.
Beautiful pictures and in-depth information on the how to grow and cultivate the peonies.
A book for any gardener who loves flowers. This is a go to book for information as well as pretty to browse through.

Michener's book on Peonies is both eye candy and a practical source of information on establishing peonies in your northern garden. Offering advice on everything from quality rootstock to compatible plants and ground cover that won't choke your peonies roots, one of the most useful parts of the book is his photographic listing of common varieties of bush and tree peonies. Offering detailed information on dozens of peony cultivars, such as average height, fragrance, season of bloom, and whether the peony will need staking, this book's compendium is a valuable resource for gardeners seeking to establish peonies in their northern climate garden. The book also has a list of reputable suppliers in the UK, US and Canada, organized by geographic area, a list of public gardens with peonies, and further reading suggestions. There is also a list of resources of cut-flowers, for those unable to grow these gorgeous blooms. A must-have book for those who love peonies!

I must admit upfront that I love peonies and that they grow in my garden without any intervention from me! But this is the first book that I have read that focuses in such detail on the plant. The goal of the book is to “provide information to grow them with confidence and to enjoy them as cut flowers” and it certainly does this, and more, in that there is very interesting information on the origin and history of peonies in western and eastern cultures. It strikes a good balance – I really enjoyed reading this background information.
Further chapters cover the various plant categories, information on planting and care of peonies in the garden, and on guidelines for using them as cut flowers.
The final two-thirds of the book is dedicated to detailed information on about 200 peonies. Beautifully laid-out in a consistent format, this is a delight for any gardener. The most glorious photos illustrate each entry, with useful descriptions including floral form, need for support and season.
European readers must note that the authors do state that the listing of peonies in the book are for plants available to gardeners in the USA, and in searching for some of the plants in the UK, I came away often disappointed. However, I was glad to find resource listings at the end of the book that included some UK resources and I will continue my search for some of the most beautiful peonies.

Gorgeous, gorgeous peonies! Beloved by gardeners, floral designers and brides the world around, in a climate like ours peonies are considered easy to grow and relatively carefree. This new book, coming out in late December, covers bush, tree and intersectional peonies; their history and origin; planting and care, and use as cut flowers. From the several thousand selections available, the authors have chosen nearly 200 of the best plants for garden and vase. There’s also a list of other perennials that make great companion plants.
As well as plenty of information and advice, the color photos are stunning. I thought some of the views of peonies in garden beds looked familiar, and discovered that as well as coauthoring the book, most of the photos are credited to Carol Adelman of Adelman Peony Gardens, which I toured last May. Local peonies make good!

This is a beautiful book with great tips for planting, growing, and caring for peonies. I never knew there were so many different types of peonies. The multicolored photographs are beautiful, and the tips included will be very useful for my mother, who has been trying to grow peonies for several years and has not yet been able to. If you are interested in learning more about peonies and how to care for them, this is the book for you.
I received a review copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Everything to celebrate and learn about the wonderful, joyful and gloriously blooming Peony. History and run down on every cultivar and bloom. Would make a great gift for any gardener or horticulturalist.