A Peony Check-List (1907)  Page(s) 122.  
 
1347. KELWAY, WILLIAM, MRS.; P. moutan.
(1) 1891, The Gardening World, Vol. 7, p. 634.
(2) 1906, Kelway's Cat., p. 175.

Cricket Hill Garden (2025)  Includes photo(s).
 
Paeonia rockii subsp. taibaishanica, Species tree peony $ 90
Name in Chinese and pin yin: 太白山紫斑牡丹 Taibaishan Ziban Mudan
Notable characteristics: From the collection of Harvard’s Arnold Arboretum comes this intriguing subspecies of Paeonia rockii. According to the collection notes, the arboretum received their original stock as wild collected seeds in the early 1990s. The seeds were collected from a plant growing on the slopes of Mt. Taibai in south west of Shaanxi Province.

We have grown the plant for several years and it is notable as consistently being the earliest tree peony to bloom in our collection. Flowers and foliage are quite delicate.
Growth habit and size at maturity (10 years old): Upright flowers held well above the foliage. Grows to 4' tall and 3' wide (guess). 
Flower form and size: Lotus single, 4-5".
Flower fragrance: Spicy-sweet.
Bloom time: Very early season rockii, blooms in our USDA zone 6a garden in the second week of May.
Zone hardiness: Proven in USDA zones 4-9. P. rockii cultivars are particularly drought resistant once established.
Plant size: 1 year old grafted tree peonies have 1 woody stem, with offshoot buds, and a graft root. The plant may or may not have some of its own roots already developed. This one may bloom its first spring in the ground, or will wait until the second spring.

Cricket Hill Garden (2025)  Includes photo(s).
 
Paeonia suffruticosa, 'New National Beauty' Japanese tree peony $ 90
Name in Japanese and romaji:  新國色  Shin Kokushoku
Notable characteristics: Enormous blossoms in the classic ‘botan’ shade of dark reddish purple. Flowers consist of several rows of ruffled petals around a golden interior. ­­

Hybridizer, year introduced: This cultivar originated from Yatsuka township of Shimane in 1965.
Growth habit and size at maturity (10 years old): Upright, grows to 3.5' tall and 3.5' wide.
Flower form and size: Semi-double, 8-10".
Flower fragrance: Very light, sweet.
Bloom time: Mid-season Japanese tree peony, blooms in our USDA zone 6a garden in the last week of May.
Zone hardiness: Proven in USDA zones 4-9.
Plant size: 1 year old grafted tree peonies have 1 woody stem, with offshoot buds, and a graft root. The plant may or may not have some of its own roots already developed. This one may bloom its first spring in the ground, or will wait until the second spring.
SHIPS FALL 2025

Cricket Hill Garden (2025)  Includes photo(s).
 
Paeonia suffruticosa, 'Era of Purple' Japanese tree peony $ 85
Name in Japanese and romaji: 今紫 Imamurasaki

Notable characteristics: Dark, lustrous, purple-pink blossoms. Perfectly formed, semi-double blossoms with stiff petals. This is a very vigorous grower and prolific bloomer. The earliest Japanese tree peony to bloom for us, opening with the Chinese tree peonies.

Growth habit and size at maturity (10 years old): Semi-spreading habit, grows to 4.5' tall and 6' wide.
Flower form and size: Semi-double blossoms to 7-8".
Flower fragrance:  Light, spicy-sweet
Bloom time: Mid-season Japanese tree peony, blooms in our USDA zone 6a garden in the second week of May.
Zone hardiness: Proven in USDA zones 4-9.
Plant size: 1 year old grafted tree peonies have 1 woody stem, with offshoot buds, and a graft root. The plant may or may not have some of its own roots already developed. This one may bloom its first spring in the ground, or will wait until the second spring.
FALL 2025 shipping

Tree Peonies, Herbaceous Peonies, Peony Species; Louis Smirnow, Sands Point, NY (1955)  Page(s) 4.  
 
Japanese Varieties
Ima Murasaki (New Purple) Bright intense purple, large, fine...$6.00

Tree Peonies, Herbaceous Peonies, Peony Species; Louis Smirnow, Sands Point, NY (1955)  Page(s) 6.  
 
Japanese Varieties
Suma No Ichi (Deepest Ink) Immense, satiny deep maroon almost black, exquisite, appealing flower...$8.00

Cricket Hill Garden (2025)  Includes photo(s).
 
Paeonia, 'Hope's Star of Heaven' hybrid herbaceous peony $ 45
 Notable characteristics: Well formed, anemone, double blossoms are produced in abundance on this robust grower. Flowers are held upright on strong stems, though some additional support is ideal for landscape use. Colors in the center of the flower change from yellow to white, in contrast to the pink petals. 
We are excited to offer this new hybrid herbaceous peony for the first time. This is a plant which we have observed and propagated in the nursery for more than a decade. It is an open-pollinated seedling.
This plant, 'Hope's Star of Heaven', is named in memory of a person who took great pleasure in their garden. The name references a line in Rumi's poem, 'You and I', a touching and vivid expression of the love which can fill our lives. 

The stars of heaven will come out to watch us,
And we will show them
the light of a full moon –
you and I.
— Excerpted from Rumi's, 'You and I' (version by Jonathan Star, from a translation by Shahram Shiva)
“A Garden Beyond Paradise: The Mystical Poetry of Rumi” Bantam Books, 1992. Read the full poem [online].

Cultivar group, hybridizer and year introduced: Peony Heaven hybrid, new introduction, to be registered with the American Peony Society. 
Growth habit and size at maturity: Upright, grows to 3.5' tall and 3' wide. Very good stem strength.
Flower form and size: Anemone double, 4-5" and upward facing. Excellent variety for landscape planting or cut flowers.
Flower fragrance: Light, sweet.
Bloom time: Mid-season hybrid peony, blooms in our USDA zone 6a garden in the last week of May or 1st week of June.
Zone hardiness: Proven in USDA zones 3-8.
Plant size: 4-5 'eye' plants with a well developed root system. This size plant will most likely flower its first spring in the ground.
When we ship: FALL 2025

Cricket Hill Garden (2025)  Includes photo(s).
 
Paeonia, 'Peony Heaven Double Peach' hybrid herbaceous peony $ 150
Notable characteristics: Our own new introduction, from an open pollinated seed planted out by David Furman in the early 2000s. Flowers are most often in the "flower with and flower" form with a thick row of stamens sandwiched between several layers of guard petals and a whorl of petals in the center. Full double blossoms are occasionally produced. Fat buds open over the course of several days. At first the flowers are a vibrant salmon peach, fading over the course of the bloom to soft pink. 

Dwarf grower blooms on stout stems. 
Cultivar group, hybridizer and year introduced: Cricket Hill Garden hybrid to be registered with the American Peony Society in 2025. 
Growth habit and size at maturity: Upright, grows to 2' tall and 3' wide. Very good stem strength.
Flower form and size: Double, 4-5" and upward facing. Excellent variety for landscape planting or cut flowers.
Flower fragrance: Very light.
Bloom time: Early season hybrid peony, blooms in our USDA zone 6a garden in the third and fourth weeks of May.
Zone hardiness: Proven in USDA zones 3-8.
Plant size: 4-5 'eye' plants with a well developed root system. This size plant will most likely flower its first or second spring in the ground.
When we ship: FALL 2025. 

Hybrid Peonies, A. P. Saunders, Clinton, New York (1949)  Page(s) [8].  
 
Hybrids Between Chinese Tree Peonies and P. Lutea or P. Delavayi
Gold Sovereign. (1949) Exquisite bright golden, flat double rosette. Very good and distinct.

Cricket Hill Garden (2025)  Includes photo(s).
 
Paeonia 'Peony Heaven Peach' hybrid herbaceous peony $ 75
Notable characteristics: Our own new hybrid, from almost 20 years of work and observation. This flower has excited visitors in our test garden for several years.  A beautiful peachy-pink flower, a rare color in peonies, with very large, glossy dark green leaves.
This advanced peony hybrid will bloom earlier in the season than most of the other herbaceous peonies we offer. Expect this plant to bloom about the same time as tree peonies. They are almost 2 weeks earlier to bloom than the more common lactiflora herbaceous peonies. 

Cultivar group, hybridizer and year introduced: Cricket Hill Garden hybrid to be registered with the American Peony Society in 2025. 
Growth habit and size at maturity: Upright, grows to 3' tall and 3.5' wide. Very good stem strength.
Flower form and size: Single, 4-5" and upward facing. Excellent variety for landscape planting or cut flowers.
Flower fragrance: Very light.
Bloom time: Early season hybrid peony, blooms in our USDA zone 6a garden in the third and fourth weeks of May.
Zone hardiness: Proven in USDA zones 3-8.
Plant size: 4-5 'eye' plants with a well developed root system. This size plant will most likely flower its first or second spring in the ground.
When we ship: FALL 2025.