Paeonia 'Sarah Bernhardt'

Paeonia 'Sarah Bernhardt': Late Rose-Pink Ruffles Fit for the Stage

Every other peony has already taken its bow by the time this one makes its entrance. Huge, ruffled rose-pink blooms that smell like your grandmother's good perfume. 'Sarah Bernhardt' DOES NOT DO OPENING ACTS.

Plant Characteristics:

• Botanical Name: Paeonia lactiflora 'Sarah Bernhardt'
• Common Name: Garden Peony
• Height: 90 cm (3 ft)
• Spread: 60 cm (2 ft)
• Flowers: Very large, fully double, rose-pink with lighter edges; fragrant
• Bloom Time: Early summer (June); late in the peony season
• Foliage: Deep green, bushy and full
• Features: Long-lived, classic cut flower

Where to Plant: Plant it in a sunny border, along a fence, or in a row in the cutting garden. It's one of the most widely grown peonies for bouquets, and a vase of it can scent a room. It blooms late, so it helps stretch the peony season.

Companion Plants: Give 'Sarah Bernhardt' a sunny bed where purple globes open beside it and long-blooming flowers take over once it fades. Allium 'Purple Sensation' opens deep violet globes at 60 to 90 cm in May and June, just before the peony. Geranium 'Boom Chocolatta' adds dark leaves and blue flowers at 61 to 66 cm from June to August, covering the base of the peony. Phlox Center of Attention™ brings pink and raspberry heads at 45 to 60 cm from June to August. Calamagrostis 'Eldorado' rises behind at 120 to 150 cm with gold-striped blades.

Plant Care: Plant in full sun in rich, well-drained soil. Set the eyes no deeper than 5 cm (2 in) below the surface. Water regularly through the first summer. The blooms are big and heavy, and rain can tip them over. Place a peony ring early in spring so the stems grow up through it. Cut the foliage down in fall and remove it to keep leaf disease in check. Don't move established plants unless you must. Divide in September if needed.

History: The French nursery Lemoine introduced 'Sarah Bernhardt' in 1906 and named it for the celebrated French stage actress of the era. More than a century later, it's still one of the best-known peonies in gardens and in the cut-flower trade.

Final Thoughts: There's a reason this peony is still blooming outside old abandoned farmhouses. The people left. IT STAYED.