Paeonia 'Angel Cheeks'

Paeonia 'Angel Cheeks': Blush Pink Bombs Built for Bouquets

'Angel Cheeks' is soft, round and blushing, and we are choosing to believe it means the face. Big bomb-shaped pink doubles with a deeper blush in the middle. INNOCENT UNTIL PROVEN CHEEKY.

Plant Characteristics:

• Botanical Name: Paeonia lactiflora 'Angel Cheeks'
• Common Name: Garden Peony
• Height: 70 cm (28 in)
• Spread: 75 cm (30 in)
• Flowers: Large bomb-type doubles in soft pink with a deeper blush, mildly fragrant
• Bloom Time: Early summer (June)
• Foliage: Dark green and deeply divided, forming a wide, upright clump
• Features: Excellent cut flower, mildly fragrant, American Peony Society Gold Medal (2005)

Where to Plant: It's a natural for the middle of a border, a cutting garden, or a row along a fence or walk. Its wide clump fills space nicely, and the leaves look good long after bloom.

Companion Plants: Allium 'Ambassador' lifts purple globes to 90 to 120 cm in May and June, just ahead of and alongside the pink peony flowers. Platycodon 'Astra Blue' sits in front at 20 to 25 cm with blue balloon flowers from June to August. Alchemilla mollis spills soft yellow flowers at 30 to 45 cm from June to August, a classic peony partner. All three grow well in full sun or part sun.

Plant Care: Plant it in full sun for the most flowers. Part sun works, with fewer blooms. Give it fertile, well-drained soil with some compost mixed in. Set the crown so the pink buds, called eyes, sit no more than 5 cm (2 in) below the soil surface. Planted deeper, peonies tend to sulk and skip blooming. Water regularly through the first season, then only during long dry spells. Its stems are sturdy, but a peony ring placed in early spring keeps the heavy flowers upright after a downpour. Ants on the buds are normal and do no harm. In fall, cut the stems to the ground and clear away the leaves to reduce diseases such as botrytis. Peonies dislike being moved. If you must divide, do it in early fall, keeping three to five eyes per piece.

History: 'Angel Cheeks' was bred by Carl G. Klehm of Illinois and registered in 1970, with the classic pink double 'Monsieur Jules Elie' as its seed parent. The American Peony Society gave it a Gold Medal in 2005 and an Award of Landscape Merit in 2010.

Final Thoughts: A dream cut flower that deer leave alone. Plant it near the front step. THE MOST HUGGABLE THING IN THE YARD.