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The green tones of lettuce, corn, and other crops are the colors that tint my memories of growing up on a farm in upstate New York. There has, however, always been a luminescent splash in the corners of my remembrances. Its source seemed lost until a day in May a few years ago, when I happened upon Paeonia suffruticosa, tree peony, at a nearby nursery and was transported back to a flower garden near our fields. In that plot, the regal perennials -- honored in China’s imperial gardens since the fourth century -- provided the otherwise simple farm with a touch of elegance.

Though tree peonies may take three to five years to flower profusely, they will offer their blowsy, richly colored blossoms for decades. What they require in return is rich, neutral soil and a spot where they get at least five hours of sunlight daily—except in the Deep South, where they need dappled shade to protect them from intense sunlight and extreme heat. In Zones 5 and 6, the site should offer protection from chilly winter winds.

Fall is the best time to plant bare-root tree peonies, which is the way this shrub is usually sold; purchase and plant container-grown peonies in spring.

Enrich the soil to a depth of 2 feet with well-aged compost and well-rotted manure. In winter in Zones 5 and 6, mulch with 2 inches of shredded bark.

Tree peonies are greedy feeders; top-dress them with compost or balanced fertilizer during the growing season: at the first flush of growth and just after they bloom. Take care of tree peonies, and they’ll flower as long in the garden as they do in your memory.
This article appeared in Garden Design, A World Publications magazine. You can subscribe online.