‘Audrey’ is the earliest of any of the Saunders doubles. In my garden in 2020 the flowers failed to open fully (bottom photo), a disappointment as the plant is now more mature and I’d hoped it would show as a full double – the form I’d seen in Eleanor Tickner’s garden (top photo). Saunders called it an “interesting flower”; Silvia Saunders said “It would never be noticed during full bloom season” so its chief claim to fame is its very early bloom time for a double flowered peony.
Again in 2022 (photos to the right), I have yet to see a full double flower on my plant of ‘Audrey’. It may be a peony that Saunders himself would regret introducing. Flowers are always irregular and are held just above the foliage.
