Horticulture Week Podcast: Claire Austin on peony perfection

Matthew Appleby and Claire Austin

Renowned plantswoman Claire Austin, who has recently written a book called Peonies, a personal collection of 350 species, has revealed the secrets behind growing the increasingly popular herbaceous, intersectional and tree peonies.

Austin, who owns the only retail nursery that also has a pub on site, in Sarn, mid-Wales, talks about the appeal of peonies, peony growing tips for gardeners and professionals, her favourite peonies, her famous family and how her nursery business coped during lockdown. It saw x6 times mail order growth overnight in April 2020.


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She explains why she has retired from shows and is critical of Government policy towards retail nurseries. Austin also tells us what plants she is breeding and what the future is for growers and plant breeders like herself.

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