Pairing peonies with the right neighbors can enhance their stunning blooms and help support a healthier, more vibrant garden bed. Choosing the best peony companion plants is a key step in garden design. It leads to a more beautiful and resilient space.
This guide will show you how to select plants that make your peonies look even better. You will learn which plants help peonies grow strong and which ones to avoid. Let’s get started on planning your perfect peony garden.
Peony Companion Plants
Companion planting is the practice of placing different plants near each other for mutual benefit. For peonies, this means selecting partners that share similar growing needs. Good companions do not compete aggressively for water, nutrients, or space.
The right plants can provide support, extend seasonal interest, and even deter pests. They create a layered, full garden bed that looks good from spring to fall. This approach is smarter than just planting peonies alone.
Benefits Of Companion Planting With Peonies
There are several clear advantages to using companion plants in your peony bed. These benefits improve both the health of your plants and the overall garden aesthetic.
- Extended Bloom Time: Peonies have a glorious but short bloom period. By adding plants that flower before or after them, you ensure your garden has color for months.
- Structural Support: Some peonies, especially heavy double varieties, can flop over. Tall, sturdy companions can act as a living support system, holding them up.
- Pest and Disease Management: Certain plants can repel common pests or attract beneficial insects that prey on aphids and other bugs. Good air circulation from well-spaced companions helps prevent fungal diseases like botrytis.
- Soil Health and Moisture: Low-growing ground covers can help retain soil moisture and suppress weeds. This creates a cooler root environment that peonies love.
- Visual Harmony and Contrast: Companions can highlight the peony’s beauty through contrasting foliage shapes, textures, and colors. They fill in the bare lower stems of peonies after they bloom.
Understanding Peony Growing Requirements
Before choosing companions, you must know what peonies need to thrive. Any companion plant must be happy under these same conditions to be a good match.
- Sunlight: Peonies require at least 6-8 hours of full sun daily for best flowering. Some varieties can tolerate very light shade.
- Soil: They prefer well-draining, fertile soil with a neutral to slightly alkaline pH. Heavy, waterlogged clay soil will cause roots to rot.
- Water: Peonies like consistent moisture, especially in spring and early summer, but they cannot tolerate “wet feet.” Deep, infrequent watering is best.
- Space and Airflow: They need good air circulation around their foliage to stay healthy. Avoid crowding them with other plants.
- Feeding: A balanced, low-nitrogen fertilizer applied in early spring is usually sufficient. Too much nitrogen promotes leafy growth over flowers.
Best Early Spring Companion Plants
These plants emerge and bloom before peonies, waking up the garden and providing early season interest. They fade just as peony foliage is becoming lush and flower buds are forming.
Spring Bulbs
Bulbs are ideal because they complete most of their lifecycle before peonies need the space and light. Their dying foliage is hidden by expanding peony leaves.
- Daffodils (Narcissus): Their yellow, white, and orange blooms contrast beautifully with emerging red peony shoots. They are also rodent and deer resistant.
- Tulips (Tulipa): Choose mid to late-season tulip varieties. The color combinations are endless—try deep purple tulips behind pink peonies.
- Grape Hyacinths (Muscari): These small, blue-purple bulbs form a charming carpet at the base of peonies. They naturalize easily and require little care.
Early Perennials
These perennials provide foliage and form after their spring flowers fade, continuing to complement peonies.
- Bleeding Heart (Dicentra): Its arching stems of heart-shaped flowers and fern-like foliage are elegant. It goes dormant in mid-summer, giving peonies more room.
- Columbine (Aquilegia): Delicate, spurred flowers in many colors appear in late spring. Their attractive, clover-like leaves remain attractive if kept moist.
- Creeping Phlox (Phlox subulata): This evergreen groundcover creates a mat of color in early spring. It helps control weeds and looks great spilling over a border edge.
Companion Plants For The Peony Bloom Season
These plants flower at the same time as peonies, creating stunning combinations. The goal is harmony, not competition, so choose plants that accent rather than overwhelm the peony blooms.
Ornamental Grasses
Grasses provide movement, texture, and a soft backdrop that makes peony blooms pop. They are generally low-maintenance and have excellent form.
- Blue Fescue (Festuca glauca): Its compact, silvery-blue tufts are perfect for the front of a border. It provides cool color contrast to hot pink or red peonies.
- Japanese Forest Grass (Hakonechloa macra): This flowing, golden or variegated grass loves part-shade conditions. It brightens areas and complements white or light pink peonies beautifully.
Flowering Perennials
Choose perennials with complementary flower forms and colors. Spiky flowers contrast well with peonies’ large, rounded blooms.
- Salvia (Salvia nemorosa): The vertical spikes of purple, blue, or pink flowers are a perfect textural contrast. They attract pollinators and bloom for a long time.
- Catmint (Nepeta): A cloud of soft, lavender-blue flowers and gray-green foliage that spills gracefully. It’s drought-tolerant and hides peony stems nicely.
- Iris (Iris germanica): Bearded irises share similar sun and soil needs. Their architectural foliage and bold, upright flowers create a classic pairing with peonies.
Late Season Companions To Follow Peonies
After peonies finish blooming, their foliage can look green but plain. These plants take over the show, keeping the garden vibrant through summer and into fall.
Tall Summer Bloomers
These plants grow up through or behind peony bushes, using them as a supportive green foundation.
- Phlox (Phlox paniculata): Garden phlox offers large clusters of fragrant flowers in mid to late summer. It fills the space with color when peonies are done.
- Russian Sage (Perovskia atriplicifolia): Its airy, lavender-blue spires and silvery foliage are drought-tolerant. It adds a see-through quality and pairs well with pink or white peonies.
- Bee Balm (Monarda): Shaggy, tubular flowers in red, pink, or purple attract hummingbirds and butterflies. Ensure good air circulation to prevent powdery mildew.
Foliage-Focused Plants
When flowers fade, foliage provides lasting structure and color. These plants have leaves that stand out all season.
- Hostas (Hosta): For peonies in partial shade, hostas are unbeatable. Their bold, textured leaves in various colors and sizes cover the ground elegantly.
- Heuchera (Coral Bells): Grown primarily for its stunning, ruffled foliage in colors from lime green to deep purple. The delicate flower wands are a bonus.
- Japanese Painted Fern (Athyrium niponicum): Its metallic, silvery fronds with burgundy accents add a sophisticated, cool touch to the shade garden.
Companion Plants For Specific Peony Types
Different peony varieties have unique habits and looks. Tailoring your companion choices can highlight these special features.
Companions For Tree Peonies
Tree peonies are woody shrubs with enormous, early blooms. They need companions that respect their permanent structure and don’t crowd their base.
- Spring bulbs like daffodils and species tulips.
- Low, shade-tolerant perennials like hellebores and epimedium for their feet.
- Airy, light-filtering plants like ferns or hakone grass that won’t compete heavily.
Companions For Intersectional (Itoh) Peonies
These have the strong stems of tree peonies and die back like herbaceous ones. Their long bloom time and compact form offer great flexibility.
- Mid-sized grasses like switchgrass (Panicum) for fall interest.
- Long-blooming perennials like coreopsis or veronica.
- Evergreen groundcovers like barrenwort (Epimedium) for winter structure.
Plants To Avoid Near Peonies
Not all plants make good neighbors. Some will compete too aggressively or create unfavorable conditions for your peonies to prosper.
- Aggressive Spreaders: Avoid plants like mint, gooseneck loosestrife, or some bamboos. They can quickly overtake the area and choke out peony roots.
- Large Trees and Shrubs: Walnut trees release juglone, a substance toxic to peonies. Any large tree or shrub will compete for water and nutrients and cast too much shade.
- Heavy-Feeding Vegetables: Crops like tomatoes, corn, or squash require lots of nutrients that peonies also need. This can lead to poor performance for both.
- Plants Requiring Wet Soil: Avoid ferns that need constant moisture or plants like astilbe in a sunny bed. Their water needs are incompatible with peonies’ preference for well-drained soil.
Designing Your Peony Companion Planting Bed
Planning is essential for a successful garden. Follow these steps to design a bed that is both beautiful and functional.
- Map Your Space: Draw your garden bed, noting the location of existing peonies. Mark areas of full sun and partial shade.
- Consider Height and Layers: Place tallest companions (like Russian sage) at the back or center. Mid-height plants (salvia, iris) in the middle. Low growers (catmint, heuchera) at the front.
- Plan for Succession of Bloom: List plants by their bloom time. Aim to have at least two things in flower from early spring to late fall.
- Incorporate Foliage and Structure: Evergreens, ornamental grasses, and plants with interesting leaf shapes provide interest when nothing is in bloom.
- Install with Care: When planting, give each plant enough space to reach its mature size. This ensures good air circulation and reduces competition.
Maintaining Your Peony And Companion Garden
Proper care keeps the planting looking its best year after year. A little maintenance goes a long way in a mixed border.
- Watering: Water deeply at the base of plants, avoiding overhead watering on peony foliage to prevent disease. Soaker hoses or drip irrigation are ideal.
- Mulching: Apply a 2-3 inch layer of organic mulch (shredded bark, compost) around plants. This conserves moisture, suppresses weeds, and regulates soil temperature. Keep mulch a few inches away from peony crowns.
- Feeding: In early spring, apply a balanced, slow-release fertilizer or a top dressing of compost around the entire bed. Avoid high-nitrogen formulas.
- Staking and Support: Install peony rings or grids early in the season, before plants get to tall. Allow companion plants to grow through them for a natural look.
- Fall Cleanup: After frost, cut back herbaceous peony and perennial foliage to the ground. Remove debris to reduce disease overwintering sites. Tree peonies only need dead wood removed.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are good companion plants for peonies in full sun?
Excellent full-sun companions include salvia, catmint, iris, Russian sage, coreopsis, and ornamental grasses like blue fescue or maiden grass. Spring bulbs like tulips and daffodils also work very well.
Can I plant roses with peonies?
You can, but it requires careful planning. Both are heavy feeders and prone to fungal diseases, so they need excellent air circulation and rich, well-drained soil. Space them generously apart and avoid overhead watering. Consider using roses as a backdrop for peonies rather than interplanting them closely.
What should I plant in front of peonies to hide their legs?
Low-growing, mounding plants are perfect for this. Great choices include catmint, hardy geraniums, heuchera, lady’s mantle (Alchemilla mollis), and dwarf asters. These plants cover the bare lower stems without smothering the peony.
Are there any companion plants that deter ants from peonies?
Ants are attracted to peony buds for their sweet nectar but do not harm the plant. While no plant reliably repels ants, maintaining a clean garden free of aphids (which ants farm) can help. Strongly scented herbs like lavender or tansy planted nearby may have a mild deterrent effect, but this is not guaranteed.
When is the best time to plant companions around established peonies?
The ideal times are early spring or early fall. These seasons offer cooler temperatures and more reliable moisture, helping new plants establish without stressing the peony roots. Be careful when digging around existing peonies to avoid damaging their shallow, fleshy roots.