The fattest and most scrumptious of all flowers, a rare fusion of fluff and majesty, the peony is now coming into bloom.
–Henry Mitchell, American writer (1923-93)
Scrumptious is definitely a key word in describing peonies, Henry Mitchell. When we get blush or white peonies in for a wedding – and they’re still loose, fluffy balls just on the verge of opening – we have a moment of wanting to snap them off their stems into a bowl, drizzle them with HOT FUDGE and WHIPPED CREAM and make a decadent PEONY SUNDAE!!!!! Ahem…moving on.
Peonies are the popular girl, the prom queen even, of cut flowers. They can be fickle, finicky, and we’ve even seen them as faux silk! [Gasp] Oh, and they certainly don’t care about your little feelings. They bloom when they feel like it, they wilt when they want to, and they are, as a rule, fashionably late.
But when they do decide to grace us with their presence, they steal the show effortlessly. It’s no mystery why the Chinese name for peony is Sho Yu, meaning “most beautiful.” Stems for days, soft, frilly layers of petals, and a sweet nothing whisper of delicate candy-like fragrance. Sigh, such is the nature of the popular girl. Peony, you looked beautiful in that wedding bouquet today. Will we ever be free from your spell? Do you have a date to the prom yet? Well, if not… we were wondering if, maybe, you wanted to be our date?
Peony facts:
Season: As early as April through June, but at their peak between May and June. Also available in late November/December – February – when it is spring in other parts of the world.
Colors: Whites, pale yellows (rare), shades of pink from blush to fuchsia, coral, red and burgundy
Where to Use: When you want maximum lushness and ice cream decadence. Keep in mind, peonies are refined girls who drive Porsches to school. They can be pretty hard on your pocketbook. Most efficiently used in the most special places, i.e. your bridal bouquet.
For more peony prettiness, check out this blushing beauty and our Pinterest board!
