Hi, don't you just love peonies? I do. It's not the first time I've given them a mention, and it probably won't be the last.
If you plan on using them in your wedding bouquet maybe you'll agree with me when I say that they are absolutely stunning.
WHAT DOES A PEONY LOOK LIKE?
If you're reading this then you probably already know the answer to this question.
For those of you that are not familiar with the peony, suffice it to say that these flowers can be found in several forms. Some look more like anemones, others a rose, but one of the most popular seems to be the sizeable peony that is packed with a plethora of pretty pastel pink coloured petals.
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You will find these flowers in the prettiest pink colours, rich wine, ivory, yellow and more.
Peony buds are a lovely globular shape. A mixture of these and the billowy flower heads in a bouquet is stunning, especially when a little greenery is incorporated. Though to be perfectly honest with you, I do not believe they need any help at all and work well in a bouquet without any other flowers.
Some of these flowers are very large with diameters of 5 to 10 inches, hence the reason it's one of my favourite big blooms to work with.
ARE YOU PLANNING ON MAKING YOUR OWN WEDDING BOUQUET?
If yes take a look at our tips to success below:
1. Not all peonies have a scent, if you're looking for a fragrant bouquet then some of the pink ones have a lovely rose like scent. 'Shirley Temple' smells gorgeous, as do the yellow variety.
2. As with all cut flowers, when you get them home place them in water as soon as you can. Remember to cut the stems at a 45 degree angle.
3. Peonies are pretty cool flowers and I'm not just talking about their looks, if you don't want these flowers to open too quickly you will have to keep them in a cool room.
4. If you do need them to open as soon as possible then place them in a vase with lukewarm water.
5. Another thing you can do to encourage your peonies to open sooner is to place them in a warm well lit room.
6. Don't forget to remove any foliage near the bottom of the stem. Leaves in the water will deteriorate. This in turn will shorten the vase life of your flowers.
7. If you want your peony to be happy for longer, after cutting their stems place them in nice cool water.
8. Don't forget to put flower food in the vase water if you have some.
USING PEONIES FROM YOUR GARDEN?
Some brides choose to include flowers from their own gardens in their bouquets, which I think is a lovely idea.
If you are going to be using peonies from your garden then take a look at my tips below:
PITFALLS THAT CAN BE PREVENTED
If you're going to be using your own peonies as well as following the guidelines above, remember:
The best time of the day to cut your flowers is first thing in the morning, or in the evening. Try to use some nice, sharp secateurs.
If you are able to cut your peony stems while holding them under water this is one of the best methods to use.
Be warned, if you didn't know already, ants too love peonies. They prefer the buds (It's the sweet sap that they're after).
The best thing for you to do, is to dunk the flower heads and buds in some water for an hour or so after bringing them in from the garden. this should get rid of any ants that might be hiding inside both the flowers and the buds.
In the meantime, you can wrap wet tissue around the base of the stems. this will help to keep them hydrated.
Don't pick flowers that have already fully opened, they won't last more than a day or two.
If you allow your flowers to have a good few hours drink before starting to prepare your bouquet, they will be in great condition.
Pick flowers that do not have very green and hard buds, because once they are removed from the main plant, they probably will not open at all.
If you get to the big day, and your peonies are not quite as open as you would like them to be, wake them up with lukewarm water, in a warm and well lit room.
You can prepare your bouquet a few days before you need it. Just keep it somewhere cool until the big day.
Peony Sarah Bernhardt is a beautiful pink flower to look out for and use in your wedding flower arrangements, though to be truthful with you they are all beautiful.
Leave the flower stems longer than you will need them on the day. This will allow you to place your bouquet comfortably in a vase to drink as much as they need until the day you are ready for them.
No matter what flowers you're going to be working with, enjoy!
Please leave any comments concerning this post below.
We at PC Creations Leeds welcome any advice that you may have regarding the care of peonies.