They'll be fine. I have peonies in many different aspects for sun and they all do well.

Bear in mind that although they will survive, the peonies may not bloom as prolifically as if they were in full sun. I have a one in part shade and it has remained small compared to the monsters I have up on a sunny slope.

I agree with Donna. I have many peonies and I do mean many. The ones that only get east or west sun do not thrive near as well as the full sun plants nor do they bloom well. Often the buds form but do not open. Early blooming varieties do a bit better on the east side of the house. :)

Ginny

Is it exactly east by the compass? My street runs northeast-southwest and lots of houses have peonies on east-southeast walls that bloom massively.

My friend had peonies on the north wall in a raised bed and I thought it was nuts but they bloomed fine. She had them growing with hostas. I also have two Festiva Maximas growing in shade under a basswood tree, in a patch of goutweed, and they bloom. This is my only personal experience. Maybe the older varieties don't care as much as newer ones.

it is direct east... darn this was my concerns.. hmmm what to do.. they are old fashioned traditional type, not sure of variety

My peony 'Mollis' is on the east side and does quite well there. It's very early blooming and at this time still gets plenty of sun because the lilac that would normally shade it is not fully leafed out. I planted another peony near it (still can't remember which one that is), and it has been very slow to develop. I'm thinking now that i should move it, and i have a spot for it where it would get full sun. Should i move it in the fall?

I have peonies on my east side and they bloom a bit late but do well not only that i just transplanted one from a zone 7 on the east side thought for sure it was dead but it is doing better than the older ones go figure.

Marcia, if it has a well established root system and you move it with a lot of dirt around the roots, you can move it now. It may not bloom this season though. They are not too happy about being moved when they are using energy to develop roots and leaf out/bloom. If it's no big issue, I'd wait till the fall. :)

CL, peonies like the cooler temps of a zone 2 or 3. IMO, they actually do much better in our frozen north. :)

Ginny

It's not a big deal, so i'll wait till the fall. It hasn't bloomed yet, but has been in the ground for a few years. I'm trying to think of the name, and Raspberry Sundae comes to mind, but i'm not sure. Should keep better records!

I bet peonies are hard to trade root cuttings via mail? Any one around Calgary have any to share with a new home on the range gal? I just have old fashioned pink but willing to share once I finally get them ready to plant.

I have an old Festiva Maxima that has been here for 65 years and a red one if it didn't get choked out last year. I think it is Kansas or Cincinnati. I'll have to see what is growing really big this year as many of mine are only a couple of years old. Fall is peony planting time unless a person is getting them from the mail order greenhouses or potted. Maybe check back in the fall. My daughter is in Calgary so I am down often.

Marcia, I have 3 Raspberry Sundae. If she blooms in an east garden, her blooms don't fade as much and she is so pretty. But I am a bit of a peony freak. :)

Ginny