When it comes to building a garden that’s easy to maintain, peonies are a great addition. Rarely troubled by garden pests, and almost always promising a dramatic bloom, the flower is surprisingly low-maintenance. 

Happy in partially sunny or shady spots in the garden, peonies do require quite a bit of space to grow however, especially once their petals start to come to life in late April and into the summer months. But dramatic as they might be, there are plenty of plants you can place alongside peonies, that can help them flourish and make for a dazzling display. As they’re fairly low-maintenance, it’s important to pick plants that can grow in the same conditions. 

Speaking to Homes and Gardens, horticulturist Amy Enfield said peonies "need their space and good air circulation to prevent diseases, and they don’t like to be shaded by taller plants". 

Considering their preferred growing environment and the challenges your garden may or may not encounter, such as keeping pests out or finding some shade, will make it easier to choose which plants would be most compatible with your peonies. 

Lady’s Mantle 

Hardy and easy to grow, if it’s simply a matter of changing the appearance of your flowerbed, and helping them bloom even more, lady’s mantle produce lime-green flowers that will help peonies pastel-coloured petals pop.

If you’re looking to cut your peonies and place them in a vase indoors, this flower will also be a great addition for homemade bouquets. 

Hydrangeas

Another flowering plant, hydrangeas also produce an impressive bloom that can help provide peonies with some shade during the sunnier months.

Able to tolerate lots of sun, they can be planted all the way from autumn through to spring. 

Hostas

Known for their green foliage and bell-shaped flowers that bloom in summer, the plants are a great companion for peonies as they don’t require much space, leaving the flowers to take in all the necessary nutrients.

However, they can be attractive to pests, meaning you might want to consider adding some natural deterrents.

Lavender

Producing a strong fragrance that pests like mosquitos, flies, fleas and moths find offputting, another great companion for peonies that protects them from pests is lavender, which are a particualrly good deterrent for larger visitors like deer. 

As peonies are a low-maintenance flowering variety, choosing what you plant them is really a matter of what you think would work best visually, and in your garden.