This might be it, but I'm also a beginner with peonies. I would try a library first.

Here is a link that might be useful: Book on peonies

See Carsten Burkhardts Web Project Paeonia.
Click on english version, The Peony Library.

Here is a link that might be useful: web project paeonia

That link doesnt work.
Try www.paeon.de
Or google web project paeonia.

I tried to set up an indexing system about 10 years ago. It is located at http://www.peonies.org/ident.html

The index is dependent upon users inputing information on cultivars. While a few hundred descriptions have been submitted that did not happen the way I hoped it would.

If anyone has any suggestions on how to get people to add info to the database I am ready to listening.

Leon

Here is a link that might be useful: indexing of peonies

Thanks everyone. I guess it's so hard to do something like that because the varieties of Peonies, like Daylillies, keeps getting larger and larger every year. In a few years any book would almost be obsolete. LOL!

Anyway, thank you all for your suggestions.

Peonyman, I went on your site and while your idea was great seems a lot of posters miss adding relevant information critical for someone trying to find out important information about particular varieties. It might be useful to open with a web page setting the parameters of what information is needed, such as size (height and width), Bloom (Single or Double), bloom color, bloom time, foliage, staking (needed or not), fragrant or not, etc. If the posters are really ambitious they might even add the lienage or origen is they happen to know it. If people who have a particular variety are posting to your site about it then it would be nice if they could add more information than whether it's just a beautiful plant or not. After all, if they're commenting on a specific variety it must mean that they have it or at least have seen it and know more information than just that. The posters having the ability to upload pics of the variety they're commenting on would be nice too. Maybe it's because there's a lack of parameters set that many posters don't know where to start. You might be able to ammend that by asking for specific information. Hope this helps.

Peonyman, Leon, thank you for the website, I've used it quite a bit, you have photos of peonies than Carsten doesn't have, and the photos are great shots of "real flowers" so it's easier to see how they fit in your garden.

I haven't had a problem with your website, but I do wish there was a better calendar page-I've missed so many of the local peony sales.

It's hard to grow nice ones where we are, too hot in the summer for some of the Saunders and some of the reds, and I like to see a peony before I buy it.

Don Hollingsworth's peonies up there north of Kansas City is a great place to find some good peonies. I still have to get up there to see them blooming in the spring, maybe this year!