Nope it's not Festiva Maxima, it's very pretty though. If you lived nearby I could give you a truckload of Festiva Maxima, it's been proliferating in my yard since 1940 or so and there are over 20 clumps.

It looks a bit to me like bowl of beauty, and I have seen that variety as bare root plants in most of the big box stores around here. My red peony name is because I am in search of the perfect red peony (and I stress not bright pink peony!), not because I know all that much about peonies!

Janet

I'm going to take another pic tonight or tomorrow of that bloom, as another prior went completely white except the outer petal (is that called guard petals?) stayed a very pale pink. It is pretty, but unfortunately, no apparent scent which is another reason why I really wanted that big ol' Festiva! I wish I lived closer too Northspruce!!
I don't believe it is bowl of beauty though Janet, as from the pics I see on the web, it almost has a fuchsia coloring with yellow stamens. (and I bought one this spring & the packaging showed it to be fuchsia)
My sister is like you though...searching for a very dark, dark red. I think she is considering getting Highlight from Parkland this fall, which appears to be a very nice dark red.
Thanks and hopefully the next pic will be more help
Deb

Laurie has something really nice and dark red... what is it, Hawkeye Belle maybe? It's super nice.

Gil, Hawkeye Belle is a rose. You were close in names, though. You have a better memory than me. Laurie has Buckeye Belle. It is the dark dark peony that you were thinking of. My memory is not so good this morning...I had to go through my database just to find the name even though I picked up a Buckeye Belle a few weeks ago from Jefferies Nurseries in Portage.

Brenda

That's right! Thanks Brenda, I knew it was something like that. Anyway it's super gorgeous.

Buckeye Belle is almost a black-red. The colour is really hard to capture in a picture, but this picture is really close.

Very nice Laurie...I'll have to tell my sister.
Here is the same bloom, but obviously hail and wind beaten.
It seems abit similar to Shirley Temple or just an unknown white....either way, I'm just happy I got to see a couple of flowers on it this year:)

Bowl of Beauty has absolutely no scent. Also, although pictures of it on the internet show it as having fuschia petals, the ones I have seen in person (just saw one yesterday) are much much whiter.