So, I have just managed to upload May’s blog before the end of the month and it’s all about Peonies. Did you know there are numerous ways to spell the word? Peony, peonie, paeonie.
Peonies are lush, opulent blooms that add a special touch to a bouquet or arrangement and are one of my favourite flowers. But they are a much more expensive bloom because peonies take much longer to cultivate. You generally have to disbud them for the first four years to encourage more stems to grow. Each stem only produces one flower and they have a very short flowering period.
Growing up in Berkshire, we had two deep burgundy red peony bushes in our garden. Once spring began, I would watch the stems grow and the leaves flourish, waiting for the golf ball sized buds to appear. Over the weeks, the flowers gradually began to unfurl into, what I thought at a young age, flowers the size of dinner plates. It was all I could do to stop myself just snapping one off and hugging it. And then it rained. My memory is that it ALWAYS rained once the peonies arrived and the long thin stems drooped over, the flowers dangling towards to lawn.
Peony ‘Cardinal Vaughan’
We never cut the stems to take inside. We just watched the weather do its thing and waited another 50 weeks for an almost identical performance the following May.
Peony ‘ClassAct’
Imagine my surprise when training as a florist, when I found one of my favourite flowers can be used in an arrangement or bouquet. In fact, there are even British growers who will cut and deliver stems within 24 hours. Sustainability – tick. British grown – tick.
Peony ‘Coral Charm’
So, when a bride says ‘I want peonies’, I do a little secret dance around the workshop. Then I ask the all-important question: When are you getting married? Uh, October… and my heart takes a little nosedive.
Peonies are truly a seasonal flower and are only available for a short period of time, generally blooming between mid-May and mid-June in the UK. They can also be a little tricky to work with. How many of you have treated yourself to a bunch from a supermarket, sold as tight golf ball size buds, put them in a vase and… nothing. Not one little blighter will open up. As florists, we have the same problem, or they open far too early, and we are trying different remedies to speed or slow their growth.
Peony ‘Sarah Bernhardt’
So, my advice would be:
1. If peonies are a ‘must have’ in your bridal bouquet, then choose your wedding date very carefully.
2. Think about your colour palette before you go shopping for bridesmaid’s dresses. Peonies come in a range of colours from white, through various shades of pink and cerise to reds and corals. But, no blue, purple or orange.
And, if you still want to get married out of peony season, I can suggest some fabulous garden roses that do a perfect job of replicating a similar romantic style for your special day. Look out for July’s blog for more info on that.
See you next month.