I would expect a peony "hedge" to have a problem with air circulation and disease as a result. Have you seen a peony hedge? Al

Hi,

I agree with Al, in general, peony is not the best plant choice if you try to create a hedge in the true sense of the word. And Sara Bernhardt is not a good landscape plant in particular. It requires staking, and looks particularly messy after rain.

So if this information did not deter you, and you are set to carry out your plan anyway, this is what I would suggest:

1. Space them more generously than you would plants in a hedge (I would do 3 - 31/2 feet), they have nice green foliage and are pretty spread out, a little extra space would help them stay healthy and at the same time would not create terribly big gaps.

2. Find a good way of staking them - or rather a way to provide support. I have 9 SBs - if not supported, once they start flowering, they are on the ground most of the time. And messy does not start to describe how they look after rain.

3. Do take advantage of the mass planning of SB and cut flowers for the house - they are beautiful.

Irina

Hi Amyjean, do you already have the SB peonies? Or are those the variety you covet for the hedge? I agree with Irina that there will be a lot of work that goes into a "hedge" of SB. I planted some peonies in a row on my slope and spaced them about 3' apart which seemed to work well to form a sort of hedge. I chose Scarlet O' Hara because they have sturdy stems and require no staking at all. The flowers last for a very long time and stand up well to heavy rains. They are a single though, so that may be out of the question for you if you are looking forward to the fuller flowers of SB.

I have another area of the garden where I have "hedges" of peonies. I also spaced them about 3' apart. I do have SB in those borders and others that require support and cleanup to keep the area looking neat after rains. Although the full blooms are more work, they really are beautiful. I'm sure if SB is what you want you will find that the extra work will be well worth it. I would go with 3' spacing for a "hedge" look.

This is an old posting and I just found it. Wanted to say, for the record, I grew up in a house that had a peony hedge. It was lovely. It bordered our yard, marking it off from the undeveloped land next to us. The hedge was planted by the house's original owner, in the 1920's. I was born in the 40's, and when I last saw the house, in the 1970's, the hedge was still intact and flowering every summer. I strongly urge anyone who wants one to plant a peony hedge. I do not know the names of the peonies we had there, but they were mostly heavy bloomers - what I think people would call "doubles" in various shades of pink, white and red. They did droop down in the rain. My sister and I would prop them up with sticks we'd gather from the lot next door. My parents were neglectful property owners and never paid much attention to any of the gardens they inherited when they bought the house, so I think of peonies, to this day, as trouble-free additions to any landscape!

I'm bumping up this thread, because I'm also planning on growing Sara Bernhardt as a "hedge" too. Well, maybe I should use the word, "mass-planting" instead or "hedge". I want similar effect you tend to see in peony farm. The reason I'm bumping this thread is, do peony and roses have similar requirements? I want to combine several Sara Berhardt growing beside a walkway with climbing roses of souvenir de la malmaison.

In my climate (northern Virginia/DC suburbs) most peonies including Sarah Bernhardt mildew & look like carp from August until I cut them down in October/November. I scatter peonies around in mixed beds with shorter plants in front to hide their sin. Not knowing where you garden, I can't predict how much your peony foliage will mildew.

Roses need full sun; peonies need full sun. Roses need ample water but not "wet feet"; peonies don't like "wet feet". Most rosarians apply fertilizer after each bloom cycle; peonies are only fed in spring. Yes, they are compatible.

I am contemplating a peony hedge as well, but because I am well aware of the way many herbacious peonies look after a rain (even when well staked), I am considering using ITOH's (Bartzella and Mikasa alternating). I have one of each and they are breathtaking, flower prolifically and have very sturdy stems. As soon as I figure out where I am going to get the king's ransome I need to pay for this, I just might do it. I have seen peony hedges that are beautiful, but I really do think they need a great deal of care to look that way. But... as they say, its your garden. I'd space them at least 3 feet apart. And show us pictures when you are done.

Just take a saber saw to the roots. Best way to divide. Grow so rapidly that it is almost impossible to divide without one if left in the ground for more than a few years. Do wait until fall before doing it.