Plants→Peonies→Peony (Paeonia lactiflora 'Sarah Bernhardt')

This is a good peony for all climates, and especially for the South, because it blooms early before it gets too hot. By Mother's Day in May, these blooms are finished after giving a great early spring show. When the 95+ temps start, the foliage can get a little crispy, so in my zone 8a garden I plant lantana just behind this peony. By June, when the peony foliage is getting wilted, the lantana blooms and distracts the eye from the peony leaves. By mid to late summer the lantana actually covers the peony to shade it from the heat and the eye. In november, after frost kills the lantana, cut it back, and in spring the cycle will start over. This works even in a prominent front yard display.

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I cut a bloom from 'Sarah B' to bring into the house this afternoon. The scent is intoxicating, sweet but not musky, a lovely floral perfume. My little row of peonies is getting too much shade this year (something I can correct with a little pruning of the willows on either side of the bed), but 'Sarah B' bloomed anyway! My neighbor has a peony growing very happily by her south-facing foundation... pretty sure it's also 'Sarah B', and it's huge this year, at least 4 feet across and covered with blooms!

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Paeonia 'Sarah Bernhardt', (4-DB-PK) lactiflora cultivar Peony, (Lemoine, 1906), USDA Hardiness Zone 3-8, 36" large double, light pink, some red edges, lighter tips, side-buds, slight fragrance, occasional gold anther in collar, late bloomer. Bloom Month 5-6. Bred by Victor Lemoine (1823-1911) & son, Emile Lemoine (1862-1942) from Nancy, France. They have 83 peonies listed with the APS.

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