2016 was a banner year for peonies of all types--tree, herbaceous, and Itoh. I used them in several arrangements during May and June because they were so prolific. This mid-June arrangement was the last of the peonies, after more than a month of their beautiful, big and colorful blooms.
The five peony varieties used in this arrangement are pictured below:
"Dinner Plate", a huge, clear pink, with blooms reaching 8" across--hence the name; "Mons Jules Elle", a beautiful bomb, with darker guard petals below the tuft of lighter petaloids; "Felix Supreme", a popular dark red; "Eden's Perfume", a soft pink with an enchanting aroma; and, last, but certainly not least, "Do Tell," a gorgeous semi-double bloom with pale pink guard petals and a tuft of several shades of pink, rose and white finely cut petaloids.
Peonies are one of the easiest flowers to grow. The plants look nice spring through fall, the foliage turning shades of golden in Autumn. The stems are easy to work with, and are long-lasting in arrangements. In addition, when cut in the early bud stage, they are easy to keep for two weeks or more in a dark, cool place, or even in the refrigerator. I have a refrigerator in my garage that I have for flowers. I keep the temperature at 40 degrees.
Peonies are one of the longest living perennials. It isn't unusual for them to live 100 years or more, planted in the right place. I have some that are approaching that old, transplanted from my grandmother's.
In my opinion, no garden should be without a peony or two.
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