It takes decades to grow new peonies, so old varieties have been in the top 10 for many years. PurE Seasonal Flowers published a list of the favourite varieties at FloraHolland.
1. Sarah Bernhardt is a late-flowering soft pink peony with double blooms, which was first presented in 1906.
2. Duchesse de Nemours has white blooms with a soft yellow glow and a mild scent. This early flowering variety dates from 1856.
3. Dr Alexander Fleming is a pink variety with a similarly shaped flower to Sarah Bernhardt and was developed around 1950. It is named after the man who discovered penicillin.
4. Karl Rosenfield bears the name of its breeder. This magenta peony dating from 1908 with double blooms is an early mid-season flowering variety.
5. Red Charm, an early flowering variety dating from 1944, is one of the most decorative peonies because of its unusual flower shape. The double flowers, which have a slight rose scent, have a double-rowed collar of large guard petals, surrounding a domed ball of inner petals; it is bright ruby red in colour.
6. Flame is a single-flowering variety with a very modern colour scheme halfway between red and pink. This variety dates back to 1939 and is uncomplicated, colourful and unscented.
7. Coral Sunset is the Benjamin in this list, only dating back to 1965. It adds a special colour to the assortment of early flowering varieties. The semi-double bloom is coral pink with orange overtones.
8. Shirley Temple is another on the list of famous names. This variety, which dates from 1948, has large blooms that change colour: first, they are soft pink, and later on they have a pearly white glow.
9. Gardenia is creamy white and has very large blooms with golden stamens. The buds have a beautiful reddish pattern. This mid-early variety dating from 1955 has a very pleasant scent.
10. Coral Charm unfolds its buds into large, exclusive, semi-double blooms, dark coral in colour. At 52 years, this species is one of the younger varieties.
PurE Seasonal Flowers is a promotional cooperative of growers who supply their seasonal flowers to FloraHolland.
