It doesn't look like gay paree to me, but it looks very similar to one of the types that I have. The foliage also matches.

Here is a link that might be useful: herbaceous peony similar to yours

stevelau1911, would you happen to have the name of yours?

http://hollingsworthpeonies.com/inc/sdetail/120/5153

Yours looks pretty close to the one in the following link.

Sorry, but I do not have any idea what the name is on mine.

It could be Gay Paree if this is a maiden bloom. Sometimes it takes a peony a couple of years to come into it's own. Also, soil and weather conditions can play a part in their bloom color and size. I wouldn't say the bloom itself changes in one season but as the plant matures, it tends to produce truer. IMO.

Do you happen to know where you got the plants from?

Ginny

Thanks for the replies.

honalee, I got the plants from a nursery five minutes away, where we've gotten a lot of shade plants before. They only grow maybe six or seven different kinds of peonies and none of them are single form (I think that's the term--I'm still learning), so that's why I was confused.

Will take the photo to them next time I'm in and ask.

Gay Paree is a commonly grown peony for greenhouse distribution and it is a Japanese type. Like I said, some peonies take a while to mature in their blooms. Many of my peonies have just started to bloom true and they are 7 years old!

It is also possible that the plants got mislabeled at the growers. :)

It's a pretty bloom anyway. Gay Paree will never be anything other than a Japanese type. :)

Ginny

Your peony looks like Sea Shell.

Thanks! I'll make a note of that.