Krinkled White

by L D'Aoust
Taken from  The Peony C to C Feb 2005

"Krinkled White"

Perhaps not the most dramatic of peonies, so why do I like this peony so much?  Several reasons really but perhaps the most important is that it is a peony I can rely on to produce loads of deliciously simple weather resistant flowers that work well in several garden situations.

"Krinkled White" is a P. lactiflora cultivar with beautifully formed single snowy white flowers.  Occasionally  if the weather is cool and damp, the flowers are blush pink when they first open.  The flowers however very rapidly become some of the brightest white flowers I grow.

Each stem holds several flowers that are always well pollinated here by the bees resulting in fat seed pods filled with pea size brown seed by the end of the summer.  I leave these pods on the plant as I find them quite decorative and I collect the seeds in the fall for inclusion in the Society's Peony Seeds are Special pamphlet (distributed at several events attended by the CPS throughout the year).

The foliage is not particularly dense, nor is it much above or below average peony height of about 80cm.  It does however age gracefully over the summer and adds a good structural element to any perennial border.  It certainly does not require any staking here.

A large garden could perhaps permit an extravagant drift of "Krinkled White", say nine plus plants planted on a curve.  A more modest garden of mixed perennials could certainly benefit from teh inclusion of such a good garden citizen as "Krinkled White".  It blends well with just about all other flower colours and without stealing the show;  it's impossible to over look.  And of course, it's a must have addition to a white garden.