Peony 'Singing in the Rain'

This plant looks like a Tree Peony, with a domed shape about 36 to 40 inches high and 3 feet wide. But it goes dormant as an herbaceous Peony does, dying back in autumn and reappearing in early spring. It will begin flowering the first or second year in your garden and will continue for decades -- Peonies are the longest-lived perennials of all, a lifetime investment in the beauty of your landscape. And such blooms they are! Semi- to fully double, they are 6 inches wide, subtly sweet-scented, colored a bright lemon-yellow blushed with salmon and peach tones, and literally able to last for weeks.

The Itoh Hybrids are intersectional crosses of herbaceous (garden) Peonies -- P. lactiflora -- and tree Peonies -- P. lemoinei. They offer an increased color range, greater vigor, and excellent resistance to peony blight (botrytis paeoniae). Introduced by Toichi Itoh of Japan, they are very choice. If you like the looks of this Itoh, consider 'First Arrival' as well!

'Singing in the Rain' is a 2002 introduction from Donald Smith. In addition to its wonderful holding ability against rain, it is tolerant of heat, humidity, cold, and poor soil. Like all Peonies, it repels rabbits and deer, and it is very, very low-maintenance once established in the garden. A free-flowering treasure not to be missed! Zones 4-8.