Peony 'Duchess de Nemours' is a classic heirloom peony known for its large double white blooms that exude a soft sweet fragrance. The flowers creamy centers make them a prized choice for cut flower arrangements and elegant garden borders.
Height & Spread: 30 - 36 in x 24 - 36 in
Bloom Time: Late spring to early summer
Light Requirements: Full sun to part sun
Soil Preference: Moist, well drained, fertile soil with rich organic matter
Watering Needs: Moderate; keep evenly moist during growth and bloom periods
Deer Resistance: Moderate
Native Status
This historic cultivar originated in France in the mid 1800s and remains a widely grown garden peony across temperate regions.
Wildlife & Insects
Butterflies
- Attracts butterflies such as Painted Ladies and Eastern Tiger Swallowtails with its open fragrant blooms.
Bees
- Visited frequently by honeybees and bumblebees collecting pollen from the large accessible flower centers.
Beneficial Insects
- Draws pollinating flies and beetles that aid in early season garden health and flower pollination.
Spacing & Landscape Use
Spacing Recommendations
- Space 24 - 36 in apart to allow room for mature flowering clumps and reduce risk of fungal issues from crowding.
Landscape Placement
- Excellent for foundation plantings, perennial borders, and cutting gardens where its elegant form and color can shine.
Companion Plants
- Phlox paniculata (Garden Phlox) - Offers midsummer blooms and upright structure that complement peonies after their flowering period ends.
- Digitalis purpurea (Foxglove) - Adds vertical contrast with tall spires and soft pastel colors that enhance the peony’s white blooms.
- Brunnera macrophylla (Siberian Bugloss) - Heart shaped leaves and delicate blue flowers provide foliage texture and early season bloom interest beneath peonies.
- Allium giganteum (Giant Allium) - Tall spherical blooms offer architectural interest and a striking pairing with peonies’ round flower heads.
- Heuchera 'Palace Purple' - Deep burgundy foliage contrasts beautifully with white peony blooms while thriving in similar light and soil conditions.