A landmark achievement in peony hybridizing, Lady Gay is a quadruple hybrid bring together genetic contributions from a whopping four different peony species. This plant, produced late in Saunders’ career, is the culmination of decades of effort and patience. That aside, Lady Gay is a peony that can stand on her own two feet when it comes to beauty and elegance. The large, 6 inch, single flowers open in a beautiful salmon flesh-pink, holding their cupped, goblet-like shape for quite a while. Petals have pronounced veining with prominent raspberry coloured flares and crinkled, ruffled petals with a crepe paper like texture. Stigmas a re a wonderful bright rose-pink.  The flowers are presented well above the foliage, giving this plant a very airy appearance. The flower very much resembles another Saunders quad-hybrid, Athena, but is delivered much earlier in the season. This very early flowering time presents a great opportunity to extend your blooms season. A marvelous plant that is seldom offered, Lady Gay is a prized by collectors. One flower per stem. Bred by Professor A.P. Saunders, highly regarded as one of the most important peony hybridizers.