Peonies grow well outdoors in rich, loose soil. Improve poor garden soil by mixing in compost and granulated cow manure. Place the root ball of the Paeonia at the correct depth in the planting hole. The top of the root ball should be just one centimetre below ground level. Be sure you do not plant it too deeply! Fill the planting hole with soil, press down firmly and immediately water after planting. The peony ‘Madrid’ prefers a sunny or semi-shaded place.

Peony ‘Madrid’ in the border

The peony is an excellent perennial, a must for any border. The large flowers look even more astonishing when alongside other summer flowers like larkspur (Delphinium 'magic Fountains', lupines (Lupina 'The Governor') or Wisteria, for lots of colour early in summer. Plant colourful crown vetch (Coronilla varia) between these peonies for a stunningly beautiful colour effect.

Peony ‘Madrid’ (Paeonia) is an easy to grow perennial that demands very little maintenance, but take care that the soil around the roots does not dry out. To stimulate flowering, regularly cut the faded flower stems. The peony has large fleshy roots. Therefore once established avoid moving them, having said that if you do want to move them, early October is the best time to tackle it.

Paeonia ‘Madrid’ in winter

Peonies are classic garden plants, and no flower border will be complete without them. The large, white, double flowers have a delicious fragrance. The longer the peonies remain in the same location, the richer they will bloom.