Peonies add elegance to a garden but are best clustered in a simple vase.

Find the perfect rose for your location and size garden; there's an appropriate selection for every sunny spot.

Azaleas When this most beloved shrub erupts into flower, subtlety has left the South. Every imaginable pink shade inhabits this large family, and, with proper plant selection, you can grow them throughout our region. Consult local nurseries for the best choices in your area. If your soil doesn't fall into the acid category azaleas love, try a few in large containers. The mounding Kurume Hybrid 'Coral Bells' produces vibrant pink blooms. Southern Indica Hybrid 'George Lindley Taber' offers gentle shades on loose, airy plants, and the Satsuki Hybrids such as 'Bunkwa' and 'Gumpo Pink' bring late blooms to the garden.

Peonies Voluptuous peonies hover somewhere between prom dress and tango attire. If you could wear this wonderfully fragrant flower, surely you would dance around all night. But like anyone who does, the peony also needs time to cool down. A winter chill is necessary for successful blooms, so this plant grows best in the Upper and Middle South. The warmer Lower and Coastal South must (and should) indulge in a few purchased cut stems. 'Sarah Bernhardt' offers pale pink blooms, 'Jacorma' dons bright pink petals, and 'Paula Fay' brings a deep shade and long stems for cutting.

Roses When roses unfurl their first magnificent show, give up the “gotta-go-so-so-busy” race. Just for a minute, let the fragrance of an heirloom rose prompt a moment of meditation. Numerous selections, such as this 'Climbing American Beauty', offer easy care and grow willingly throughout the South. There is a plant appropriate to every size garden or container. 'Souvenir de la Malmaison' drips in soft pink blooms, while 'Katy Road Pink' kicks up the color with vivid hues. The ultimate easy rose, 'Pink Knock Out,' offers oodles of blooms and takes on drought without flinching.

"Spring Pinks" is from the March 2008 issue of Southern Living.