Ask Ella: Who Doesn’t Love Peonies?

When you deal with flowers as often as we do here at Garden Collage, one aspect of floral design quickly becomes apparent: everyone loves peonies. This gorgeous, widely-blooming pink flower is native to Asia and is named after Paeon, a student of Ascelpius, the Greek god of medicine and healing. Today, peonies are a favorite among hobbyists and florists alike, and they are relatively easy to maintain when cut.

A bouquet of peonies is best preserved by taking care of the plant from the stage of purchase onward. It’s best to buy peonies when they are still in bud stage, and they should be placed in a vase with room temperature (not warm) water. Cut about an inch off the end of the stem before placing in a vase, and remove any foliage that would fall beneath the water line (which should be below the half-way mark of the stem, about 4″ tall). Thereafter, be sure to clean and re-fill the vase with water at least every other day in order to extend the “shelf life” and enjoy the entire cycle of blooming that this gorgeous flower has to offer.