perfect peonies

The weather has been cold and rainy (a high of just 13C a few days ago) but the peonies are thriving.
My very favourite is Coral Beauty, purchased from Veseys.

The bud promises an unusual colour:  pinky orange.

I like single peonies with fewer petals much better than the heavy doubles, which need to be staked to prevent them from hitting the ground at the first rain.  The singles also invite bees and butterflies.  The doubles don't allow insects to get close to the nectar and pollen.

This single peony looks like a poppy.

The old fashioned double has its charms.  It has a heavenly fragrance that the singles don't have.

A tree peony grows like a shrub.  The structure does not die down to the ground for the winter like herbaceous peonies.  But they are more susceptible to frost, and are harder to keep happy.  But they are really worth the trouble.  The flowers are as big as dinenr plates.