fbpx
Mary Jane Duford

Mary Jane Duford

Mary Jane Duford is a quintessential Canadian gardener. An engineer by trade, she tends to an ever-expanding collection of plants. In her world, laughter blooms as freely as her flowers, and every plant is raised with a dash of Canadian grit. Mary Jane is a certified Master Gardener and also holds a Permaculture Design Certificate. She's also a proud mom of three, teaching her little sprouts the crucial difference between a garden friend and foe. When she's not playing in the dirt, Mary Jane revels in her love for Taylor Swift, Gilmore Girls, ice hockey, and the surprisingly soothing sounds of bluegrass covers of classic hip-hop songs. She invites you to join her garden party, a place where you can share in the joy of growing and where every day is a new opportunity to find the perfect spot for yet another plant.

20 peony varieties

Peony varieties

There are thousands of peony varieties to choose from for your garden. Despite the number of different cultivars, there are certain favorite varieties that appear in garden centers every year due to their immense popularity. Let’s look at the most…

Duchesse de Nemours peony

Duchesse de nemours peony

Duchesse de Nemours peony is an heirloom double white peony variety. The fragrant flowers are 5″-6″ across and have a classic soft, fluffy appearance. These herbaceous perennials grow about three feet tall, blooming best in full sun planting locations with…

Kansas peony

Kansas peony

Kansas peony is a bright red-pink double peony variety with loose frilly petals. These cheerful magenta flowers can reach 8″ across! Plants grow to be between two and three feet tall, with ornamental dark green leaves and strong stems. Kansas…

Red Charm peony

Red charm peony

Red Charm peony is an herbaceous peony variety with deep-red, fully bombe-type blooms. The flowers are gigantic, reaching 9″ wide each on mature plants. The red blooms also have a spicy old-rose fragrance. Plants grow about 32″ tall and 32″-36″…

How to plant peonies

How to plant peonies

Peonies are low-maintenance perennial plants that thrive in Zones 2-8. They do best when planted in a sunny spot where the soil drains easily. The ideal seasons for planting are early spring and early fall. Peonies are generally planted in…

Bowl of Beauty peony

The Bowl of Beauty peony is a pink and cream bicolor variety with huge anemone-type flowers. This popular variety has lovely fragrant blooms and grows early in the season under full sun. Plants grow about 34″-36″ tall, with an overall…

Coral Charm peony

Coral charm peony

Coral Charm peony is a peach-coral peony cultivar with large, semi-double, bowl-shaped blooms. This variety blooms early in the peony season with a lovely fragrant bloom. Plants grow about 36″ tall, with an overall foliage width of 24″-36″ wide. The…

Coral Sunset peony

Coral sunset peony

Coral Sunset peony is a pink-orange peony variety with soft, bowl-shaped semi-double flowers. This variety has gorgeous yellow stamens, a lovely fragrance, and blooms early in the season. Plants grow about 30″-36″ tall, with an overall foliage width of 32″-36″…

Raspberry Sundae peony

Raspberry sundae peony

Raspberry Sundae peony is a soft pink and yellow bicolor peony cultivar with fluffy bombe-type petals. Individual flowers are 5″-7″ wide and have a floral sweet fragrance, blooming in mid-spring. Plants grow about 36″ tall, with an overall foliage width…

Sorbet peony

Sorbet peony bloom

Sorbet peony is a pink and white bicolor peony variety known for its fluffy alternating layers of petals. The fragrant “bombe-type” flowers are 6″-7″ wide during the peak of their mid-spring bloom. Plants grow to 26″-36″ tall, with an overall…

Shirley Temple peony

Shirley temple peony

Shirley Temple peony is a popular peony variety of herbaceous peony with light-rose flowers that turn cream-white as they mature on the plant. The stunning rose-white blooms of Shirley Temple peony can be 6″-8″ wide in full bloom and are…

Karl Rosenfield peony

Karl rosenfield peony

Karl Rosenfield peony is an herbaceous peony variety with large, deep-red, fluffy double blooms. These hardy perennial plants grow to be 32″-38″ tall with glossy green foliage. The large blooms can reach 6″-7″ wide each on established plants and make…