Paeonia 'Royal Blush'

Paeonia 'Royal Blush' is a rare Itoh hybrid peony with a particularly graceful way with colour, as though it has been lit from within by a soft June sunset. Bred by the respected American peony breeder Roger F. Anderson, Paeonia 'Royal Blush' carries single to semi-double flowers in an elegant cream to apricot base, each petal brushed at the edges with salmon-pink to antique rose. The centre adds a lively flourish, with deep red-pink markings gathered around golden yellow stamens. Refined but never chilly, Paeonia 'Royal Blush' brings warmth, rarity and a rather collectible air to the early summer border.

Plant Paeonia 'Royal Blush' in fertile, well-drained soil, in sun or light shade, where its softly blushed petals can be admired at close range. Its colouring is wonderfully easy to place, slipping between creamy roses, apricot geums, violet salvias and bronze foliage with the confidence of a seasoned guest at a garden party. As an Itoh peony, it offers the charm of herbaceous peonies with the handsome presence associated with tree peonies, making a strong yet elegant garden feature. Distinctive, long-lived and quietly luxurious, Paeonia 'Royal Blush' is a beautiful choice for collectors and romantics alike.