How to Keep Peonies from Falling Over
Peonies are one of the most rewarding garden plants — and also one of the most frustrating. You wait all year for those huge, blowsy blooms, only to find them collapsed on the ground after the first bout of rain.
I grow peonies myself, and I also design and make peony supports here at Lincolnshire Plant Supports Ltd, so I see this problem from both sides: in my own garden, and through many customers who come to us looking for a solution.
The good news? Peonies don’t fall over because they’re “weak plants”. They fall over because they’re top-heavy, and they need support at the right time and in the right way.
Why Peonies Fall Over
Herbaceous peonies are naturally upright in spring. The trouble starts when:
- Buds swell and flowers open
- Blooms become heavy with rain
- Soft stems are asked to support a lot of weight
A single peony flower can hold a surprising amount of water. After rain, the combined weight of multiple blooms often exceeds what the stems can manage — especially on mature plants.
Once a peony has flopped, it rarely recovers its shape on its own.
The Most Common Mistake: Supporting Too Late
By far the biggest mistake we see is waiting until peonies are already flowering before adding support.
At that point:
- Stems are brittle
- Growth is sprawling
- Any support becomes visible and awkward
Supports like grow-throughs are designed to work with the plant as it grows — not to wrestle it back into shape once it’s collapsed.
The key rule:
👉 Support peonies early. For grow-through supports, as soon as the first shoots break the ground.
For hoops and hurdles, before the blooms get heavy or the weather turns bad.
Choosing the Right Support for Your Peony
Not all peonies — or gardens — are the same. Here’s how we generally recommend supporting herbaceous peonies based on size.
Small to Medium Peonies
Ideal for younger plants or compact varieties.
Recommended options:
- Small Grow-through Supports
- Small Hurdles
- Small Peony Rings
These give enough structure without overwhelming the plant.
Large, Established Peonies
Mature clumps with lots of stems and big blooms need stronger, wider support.
Recommended options:
- Large Grow-through Supports
- Large Hurdles
- Hoops
These allow the plant to spread naturally while still being held upright.
Very Large or Unusual Peonies
Some peonies simply outgrow standard supports.
In these cases, we often suggest:
- Bespoke supports designed to fit the plant
This is especially useful for old garden peonies with wide crowns or awkward growth habits.
Invisible Support: Why It Matters
One of our core principles is “invisible support”.
The best peony support:
- Goes in early
- Disappears into the foliage
- Is completely hidden once the plant is in full leaf
Grow-through supports are particularly good for this. When placed early in spring, stems grow up and through them naturally, and by flowering time you don’t see the support at all — just a mass of upright blooms.
Can You Rescue a Peony That’s Already Fallen Over?
Sometimes, yes.
If a peony has already collapsed:
- Hurdles and hoops can often be used to gently lift and contain the plant
- Results won’t be as neat as early support, but they can save the display for that season
Think of this as damage control rather than the ideal solution.
What We See From Customers
Many of our customers come to us after years of tying peonies with string or pushing in bamboo canes — and being disappointed every summer.
Once they switch to proper supports, we regularly hear things like:
- “My peonies finally stayed upright through the rain.”
- “They looked fabulous for the first time.”
- “I wish I’d done this years ago.”
That’s usually after just one season of supporting them correctly.
What We Use — and Why
In our own gardens and for our customers, we rely on:
- Grow-through supports for early, invisible structure
- Hurdles where flexibility and rescue support are needed
- Hoops for large plants that need wide, even containment
All are made from solid steel and designed to last for years, not just one season. The aim isn’t to prop plants up temporarily — it’s to let them grow naturally while quietly holding them where they need to be.
Final Thoughts
If there’s one takeaway, it’s this:
Peonies don’t need forcing — they need anticipating.
Support them early, choose a structure that suits the size of the plant, and let the foliage do the hiding. Get that right, and even heavy rain won’t stop your peonies putting on a spectacular show.