Shirley Temple Peony Bare Root Plant – Fragrant Blush Pink to White – 2/3 Eye

Overview

Introduce timeless elegance to your garden with the magnificent shirley temple peony bare root. This exquisite double peony variety is celebrated for its captivating beauty and delightful fragrance, making it a true ‘Queen of Garden Flowers.’ Originating as soft blush pink blossoms, the petals gracefully lighten to a creamy white as they mature, creating a dynamic and visually stunning display. Its widespread popularity is a testament to its impressive, large flowers and remarkable ease of care, making it an ideal choice for both seasoned gardeners and those new to cultivating these splendid perennials. Each shirley temple peony bare root is a promise of future beauty, ready to establish and flourish in your landscape.

The ‘Shirley Temple’ peony is a herbaceous perennial that brings a touch of classic charm to any outdoor setting. Its robust nature and stunning floral show make it a focal point in flower beds, borders, and cottage gardens. Expect these beautiful plants to grow to an impressive height of 2-3 feet with a similar spread, forming a lush mound of attractive, glossy green foliage that provides a perfect backdrop for the magnificent blooms. These dramatic flowers, measuring 5-7 inches across, typically make their grand appearance in late spring to early summer, filling the air with a sweet, irresistible fragrance. This elegant peony promises to enhance your outdoor space, offering not just visual appeal but a delightful sensory experience that will be cherished for years.

Key Benefits

The ‘Shirley Temple’ peony offers a wealth of advantages for any garden enthusiast. Beyond its breathtaking beauty, this plant provides several compelling reasons to make it a cornerstone of your landscape design:

• Fragrant Blooms: Enjoy the intoxicating, sweet scent that permeates your garden during the blooming season. This delightful aroma not only creates a serene and inviting atmosphere but also attracts beneficial pollinators, contributing to a vibrant ecosystem. The rich fragrance makes the shirley temple peony bare root a sensory delight.
• Long-Lasting Flowers: The substantial and durable blooms of this peony are perfect for cutting, allowing you to create stunning floral arrangements that will brighten your home for days. Their longevity makes them an excellent choice for bringing the beauty of your garden indoors.
• Versatile Planting: This adaptable peony is suitable for various garden applications, including use as yard dividers, elegant borders, or charming small group plantings. Its flexibility in garden design allows you to integrate it seamlessly into your existing landscape or use it as a centerpiece.
• Easy to Grow: Known for its resilience and adaptability, the ‘Shirley Temple’ peony thrives in rich soil, full sun, and open areas, making it a truly easy to grow peony. Its low-maintenance nature ensures that even novice gardeners can achieve spectacular results with minimal effort.
• Stunning Color Transformation: Witness a captivating visual spectacle as the soft blush pink blossoms gracefully lighten to a creamy white. This dynamic color shift adds unique beauty and depth to your garden, ensuring continuous visual interest throughout its blooming period.
• Attracts Pollinators: The fragrant and vibrant flowers are a magnet for bees and butterflies, helping to support local pollinator populations and enhance the biodiversity of your garden space.
• Deer Resistant: Peonies are generally considered deer-resistant, offering peace of mind that your beautiful blooms are less likely to become a snack for hungry wildlife.

Plant Care & Growing Tips

Ensuring the success of your shirley temple peony bare root involves a few straightforward care practices that will lead to years of abundant blooms. Peonies are notoriously long-lived plants, often thriving for decades with proper attention. When planting, select a location that receives at least 6 hours of direct sunlight daily for optimal blooming and healthy growth; partial sun is acceptable, especially in hotter climates where afternoon shade can prevent scorching. Good air circulation is also crucial to prevent fungal diseases, so avoid planting too close to walls or other dense foliage.

The ideal soil for this fragrant peony plant is rich, well-drained, and slightly acidic to neutral (pH 6.5-7.0). Before planting, amend your soil with a generous amount of compost or other organic matter to improve fertility and drainage. Dig a hole wide enough to accommodate the roots comfortably and deep enough so that the ‘eyes’ (growth buds) on the bare root are no more than 1-2 inches below the soil surface. Planting too deep is a common reason for peonies failing to bloom. After planting, water thoroughly to settle the soil around the roots. During dry periods, especially in the first year, water regularly to ensure the soil remains consistently moist but never waterlogged, as this can lead to root rot. Once established, peonies are relatively drought-tolerant but will benefit from supplemental watering during prolonged dry spells.

Fertilization is best done sparingly; an annual application of a balanced, slow-release granular fertilizer in early spring as new growth emerges is usually sufficient. Avoid high-nitrogen fertilizers, which can promote lush foliage at the expense of flowers. Deadhead spent blooms to maintain a tidy appearance, but allow the foliage to remain until it naturally yellows and dies back in the fall. This process allows the plant to store energy for the following year’s blooms. In terms of hardiness, the ‘Shirley Temple’ peony is wonderfully resilient, thriving in USDA Zones 3-8, making it a versatile choice for many gardens across the United States. Protecting young plants with a layer of mulch in colder zones can help ensure their survival through winter. For more specific guidance on peony care tips, consult your local agricultural extension office.

Size & Details

Each order includes one high-quality shirley temple peony bare root, specifically a 2/3 eye division, ensuring a strong and vigorous start for your garden addition. These bare roots are prepared for planting and are ready to be nurtured into magnificent flowering plants. Upon maturity, the ‘Shirley Temple’ peony typically reaches an impressive height of 2 to 3 feet with a similar spread, creating a substantial and impactful presence in your landscape. The large, double blooms measure between 5 to 7 inches across, providing a spectacular floral display.

This free-blooming variety is known for its robust growth and relatively fast establishment when planted correctly. While initial blooms may appear in the first year, the plant will truly hit its stride and produce an abundance of flowers in its second and third years. The foliage is a rich, glossy green, offering aesthetic appeal even when the plant is not in bloom. The bare root format allows for efficient shipping and provides the plant with the best opportunity to adapt to its new environment. With proper care, this easy to grow peony will become a cherished focal point, bringing beauty and charm to your outdoor space for many years to come.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Q: How big do ‘Shirley Temple’ peony flowers get? A: The magnificent flowers of the ‘Shirley Temple’ peony typically reach an impressive diameter of 5-7 inches across. These large, double blooms make a prominent and striking feature in any garden, drawing attention with their changing colors.
• Q: What type of soil is best for planting this fragrant peony plant? A: These peonies thrive best in rich, well-drained soil. Amending your garden soil with compost or other organic matter before planting is highly recommended. This improves fertility and ensures robust development for your shirley temple peony bare root.
• Q: How much sunlight does a ‘Shirley Temple’ peony need for optimal blooming? A: For the best blooming performance, these peonies prefer full sun to part-sun exposure. Aim for at least 6 hours of direct sunlight daily to encourage abundant flowering and strong, healthy growth.
• Q: When is the best time to plant a bare root peony? A: Fall is generally considered the optimal time to plant bare root peonies. This allows them to establish a strong root system before the onset of winter and ensures vigorous growth and blooming in the following spring.
• Q: How often should I water my newly planted shirley temple peony bare root? A: Water regularly, especially during dry periods and throughout its first year. It’s crucial to ensure the soil remains consistently moist but never waterlogged to prevent root rot and promote vigorous growth.
• Q: Is this easy to grow peony suitable for beginners? A: Yes, the ‘Shirley Temple’ peony is renowned for its ease of care and robust nature, making it an excellent choice for gardeners of all experience levels, including beginners. With basic care, it provides spectacular results.
• Q: What USDA Hardiness Zones are suitable for this peony? A: The ‘Shirley Temple’ peony is hardy in USDA Zones 3-8, making it a versatile and resilient choice for a wide range of climates across the United States. This broad hardiness zone makes it a popular choice for many gardeners seeking a reliable easy to grow peony.
• Q: Can I use the flowers from my fragrant peony plant for cut flower arrangements? A: Absolutely! The ‘Shirley Temple’ peony produces long-lasting and exquisitely fragrant blooms that are ideal for cutting. They make stunning additions to floral arrangements, bringing their beauty and scent indoors for days.
• Q: What should I do with the foliage after the blooms fade? A: Allow the foliage to remain on the plant after blooming. The leaves continue to gather energy through photosynthesis, which is stored in the roots for the next year’s growth and flowers. Once the leaves naturally yellow and die back in the fall, you can trim them.
• Q: Are there any specific peony care tips for winter preparation? A: In colder zones (like USDA Zone 3-5), applying a layer of mulch around the base of the plant in late fall can provide extra insulation and protection from extreme winter temperatures, helping to ensure the survival of your shirley temple peony bare root.