Choice
Copyright American Library Association, used with permission.

With an exceptional diversity in flower color, fragrance, and plant form, along with a relative ease of cultivation, peonies have long boasted an enthusiastic following among gardeners and plant breeders. In this beautifully illustrated volume, Michener (Matthaei Botanical Gardens, Univ. of Michigan) and Adelman make a strong case that gardens without peonies are, quite simply, incomplete. Following a general description of the history, utilization, and care of peonies, the authors provide detailed descriptions for nearly two hundred cultivars, which are grouped into bush, intersectional, and tree types. Each cultivar description is accompanied by a close-up photograph of the flower. Since over four thousand peony varieties have been introduced in the last two centuries, half of which are still believed in existence, selecting varieties to highlight presents quite a challenge. The authors have selected commercially available peonies that represent both currently popular and lesser-known varieties with exceptional characteristics worthy of consideration. While this volume will primarily appeal to a general gardening audience, the inclusion of the year of release, location, and breeder of each cultivar make it a valuable reference for breeders and academic horticulturalists as well. Summing Up: Recommended. All levels/libraries. --Ryan M. Warner, Michigan State University

Publishers Weekly
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved

Michener and Adelman, an arboretum plant curator and grower-seller respectively, share their expertise on the heavenly scented garden beauty known as the peony and its varieties. Around a quarter of the guide is taken up by general material about the flower, giving gardeners a vocabulary to understand and describe peony types and features. The bulk of the book consists of closeup color photos of luscious peony blossoms and information about almost 200 varieties of bush, tree, and intersectional varieties. The authors are passionate about their peonies, and tend to understate potential downsides of the flower; for instance, gardeners need to plan for a spectacular but short bloom season and months of green foliage, a topic that could be more fully presented. The closeup photos are gorgeous but give no sense of total plant proportions. That said, even knowledgeable gardeners will find new tips to improve what they already grow and love. Color photos. (Dec.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

Library Journal
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Michener (associate curator, -Matthaei Botanical Gardens & Nichols Arboretum, Univ. of Michigan) and -Adelman (founder, Peony Paradise-Adelman Peony Gardens, Salem, OR) present a handsome volume on the history and -growing techniques of one of the world's most voluptuous flowers. Introductory chapters trace the illustrious history of the flower through various countries and how thousands of varieties have been lost to history. The different categories of peonies (there are five) are covered, as well as how to identify the various flower types. A chapter on growing them covers such aspects as how to use peonies in the garden, lists of companion plants to consider, growing conditions, and cutting. Individual portraits of 194 varieties feature vivid descriptions and characteristics. A resource guide is provided for both plants and cut flowers and a list of public gardens in Canada, the UK, and the United States. VERDICT A great introduction for gardeners interested in growing peonies and a guide for experienced growers looking for newer varieties to add to their collections.-Phillip Oliver, formerly with Univ. of North Alabama, Florence © Copyright 2017. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Book list
From Booklist, Copyright © American Library Association. Used with permission.

Peonies are long-time home-garden favorites, prized for their large flowers, enticing scents, and multitude of colors and shapes. Michener and Adelman focus on about 200 of the thousands of selections available on the market today and take the gardener from planning to cultivating to using peonies as cut flowers. Experienced peony growers will recognize the three types included here: herbaceous (also known as bush), tree, and Itoh (also known as intersectional). Peonies are relatively easy to nurture as long as several basic needs are met, and the planning information will help the gardener place them appropriately, manage them through the seasons, and surround them with ideal companion plants. The bulk of the book consists of profiles of each peony, which include the year and place of origin, color, form, fragrance, season, height, and description as well as a large color photograph showcasing the petals and anthers (if visible) at the bloom's peak. Gardeners who already know and love peonies will find use in this book, as will those just getting started.--Heidemann, Anne Copyright 2017 Booklist