I have one in a pot as our sands here are mostly alkaline too. I have my acid loving natives in pots too. Did not flower last year so I live in hope!! The natives are about to flower again.

Hi Annabel.

I bought one last Septemeber at the show and first of all I had it in the ground but it didn't look too well. Then after a couple of months I moved it to a pot and it continued looking very downhearted. It is now in the shadehouse with all its leaves dead not sure if it is dead or dormant. I had some beautiful peonies when I lived in Scotland so that says a lot as it was very very wet there and much much colder not at all like SA. Unfortunately when I lived in Scotland I hadn't caught the gardening bug and just looked after minimally the garden I inherited when we bought the house. But I have always remembered how beautiful this plant was.

Shelley

My Mum in Scotland had glorious peonies, but it was reclaimed moorland and acid soil. My one in the pot has not done anything and also seemed to wither and die, but the crown was still there and heaslthy so I repotted it, and put spring flowers in the pot as well. They do go dormant in winter.

Shelley
I put some suggestions on your posting in the Perenials forum. Some years back I had one which did not flower and had tried different positions but the main ingredients I had missed was the heavy feeding and good drainage. When I have seen them growing in long lines in the Dandenongs they are quite raised in long mounds. When we moved I accidently put the peony near a small brick wall and it flowered I think because of the lime. So now I am hooked! I have them now raised in a border with roses behind and annuals in front. The bronze foliage was also outstanding in the autumn. Give them a go - full sun, lots of blood & bone and lime at the bottom of your hole, raise them up and mulch sides plus a handful of cow manure on the top for good measure and water in well. If I kill mine I'll own up. Good luck.

Don't wish for you to become too down hearted but Peonies in SA will be difficult to say the least.They must have a very cold winter chill with rich,loamy soil with a pH of 6.5-7 so be careful of the lime. You will have to give them light daytime shade in the hottest time of summer in SA but keep them in full sun at other times and I would go so far as to consider placing blocks of ice around them in winter during dormancy. Mulch well to retain moisture.
Well worth the trouble if you work at it.
R

Thanks R for your input it does sound a bit of a challenge from what you said :-) I have just started a working two days a week and have a guest from the UK staying for 5 weeks plus a new puppy so perhaps it would be best if I leave off trying until next year :-)

Shelley