MYTHOLOGY, AND HISTORY OF THE PEONY 



P. officinalis — rubra (red — the common double 

 red), rosea (rose) and carnescens plena (double 

 flesh white) — with which to make a beginning. 



In 1864, James Kelway, of Somersetshire, 

 made his first attempt in improving existing types. 

 He commenced in a modest way with P. officinalis 

 and P. corallina, but soon went into the growing 

 of peonies on a very extensive scale. Twenty 

 years later he catalogued two hundred and fifty 

 varieties of which sixty-three were new single 

 and forty-one new double varieties of his own 

 raising. Through his energy in introducing and 

 distributing improved forms Kelway did much 

 to make the peony popular in England. Among 

 his best productions are Baroness Schroeder 

 (1889), Miss Salway (1905) and Kelway's 

 Glorious (1909). 



Peter Barr was a tireless collector of all 

 species of the peony and was also much inter- 

 ested in hybridising. From his establishment 

 have come Wittmaniana rosea, one of the Witt- 

 maniana hybrids, and the albifloras, Helena Les- 

 lie, Lord Rosebery and Celestine. 



In 1885, a First Class Certificate of the Royal 

 Horticultural Society was granted to a peony 



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