A cross between an herbaceous and a tree peony, Paeonia 'Hillary' has stunning, large semi-double rosette flowers in gorgeous shades of raspberry pink, turning to cream as they mature. The blooms, which appear in late spring and early summer, are lightly fragrant. When the finely divided leaves open in spring they have reddish tinges, then they become bright green, before turning red in the autumn. The branches of this Peony are sturdy, so no staking is necessary!

Any fertile, free-draining soil in full sun or part shade will do; best results are achieved if the plant is growing out of strong wind. The flowers of Peony 'Hillary' are also great for cutting and indoor decoration.

Itoh Peony 'Hillary' is an Intersectional or Itoh hybrid peony, named after Toichi Itoh, the Japanese originator of these wonderful plants. It is the result of hybridizing the two main peony groups: the herbaceous peonies (which die down to ground level each year) and the tree or woody peonies (which keep a woody branch system all year round).