Peonies are perennials and are known to live for decades, even generations. The blooms are outrageously beautiful, producing lush, glossy, green foliage all summer long, turning purplish or gold in the fall, as stately and dignified as any shrub. They are somewhat more expensive to propagate, but well worth the investment in your garden. Double peonies, which is what these are, are by far the most popular of all peony types and the most widely planted. This unique Japanese peony - Gay Paree - not to be confused with tree peonies, is similar in flower to the single peony varieties but with a more elaborate center. This late flowering variety features rose-pink outer petals around a creamy white center made up of petaloids.