Garden Lace Peony

The Garden Lace Peony is a hybrid of the Japanese form of peony and was developed by Don Hollingsworth of Kansas City, Missouri. It is reported to have bloomed prior to 1980 and listings indicate it was registered with the American Peony Society in 1992. It is grown by many nurseries, not just in the United States.

Hollingsworth also developed the Itoh "Garden Treasure" that is not only a truly yellow peony but even has a lemony fragrance. He is well known in the Midwest as an expert speaker on peonies. For those new to peony propagation, an Itoh is a type of cross that is defined as tree peony x herbaceous peony.

Peonies used to be our grandmothers' flowers and then they took a backseat in the minds of the public for a few years. Yet, all things are cyclical, and tree peonies and herbaceous peonies are now very much back in favor with gardeners. The growers and researchers never forgot about peonies, as they continued to document their experiments with producing new varieties, as well as keeping the old-fashioned varieties strong and very much available. People who are truly dedicated to gardening, and especially to peonies, take great joy in developing new hybrids like the Garden Lace Peony.

Highlights of the Garden Lace Peony

The color has been described as a clear pink and as a soft light pink. The center ball is made up of lacy, curved staminodes of soft yellow. It is a strong and tall peony (to 30"), producing lots of bloom and seeds. The flowers grow abundantly across the top of the bush, so it really attracts attention in landscaping. If you live in a wet climate, this peony really holds up well in the rain. Of course, like all peonies, the Garden Lace Peony needs good water drainage away from its roots.