People have always loved flowers, and peonies are among the most highly regarded, with petals of the finest silk and often a distinctive perfume. Their large, flamboyantly coloured blooms are attractive and photogenic, ideal for celebrations. Beyond the flowers, the colourful new shoots, described by landscape gardener Gertrude Jekyll as ‘dear rosy snouts’, add value and interest to any garden. Peonies appear in the art and literature of China, Korea, Japan, the classical Mediterranean and medieval Europe. Charles Darwin, as a child, was sent to count the peonies in his family garden, his first exercise in scientific data collection. Superbly illustrated, and covering cultural as well as botanical aspects, this book is an ideal companion for plant lovers wanting to learn more about this fascinating flower.

Brilliant . . . Gail Harland’s research is impeccable, her dialogue with the reader is comfortable and the photographs are utter confection for the eye. This will accomplish for Paeonia what Anna Pavord’s The Tulip did for the appreciation of the singular impact on our collective horti(cultural) identity by a single genus of plants. * Daniel J. Hinkley, author of Windcliff: A Story of People, Plants, and Gardens *
In this extensively researched, highly informative book, Gail Harland presents an entertaining and fascinating guide to a group of one of our favourite garden plants, peonies. No stone is left unturned in this wide-ranging, beautifully illustrated account, which describes not only aspects of their biology and cultivation, but also highlights their cultural significance in herbal medicine, literature, art and music. * Richard J. Gornall, Honorary Associate Professor and Curator of the Herbarium, University of Leicester *

Gail Harland combines work as a dietitian with horticultural writing. Her previous publications include Snowdrop (2016) in Reaktion’s Botanical series.