Peonies are a favorite spring flower and I have many in my garden. I have had quite a few people tell me they are a memory flower and reminds them of a parent or grandparent’s garden. For me they bring memories of my grandmother’s garden in Ohio.

A particular early-blooming favorite is Molly the Witch (Paeonia mlokosewitschii) which is the first to bloom in my garden. It is named after a Polish botanist and is a mouthful to pronounce and has the common name of ‘Molly the Witch’. With distinctive foliage and beautiful soft yellow flowers, this may be difficult to find but worth the search.