Tips & Tricks for Arranging Peonies
Use these tips & tricks for arranging peonies to easily display this beautiful flower in your home. Includes suggestions for preparation and vessels.
Peony season…a very short time of year when you can fill your home with blooms that have the power to lift your soul. The only negative thing about these flowers is the fact that they bloom for such a short period of time. Other than that, they are perfection.Â
My peonies were beautiful this season, and I thoroughly enjoyed cutting the blooms to bring inside. I waited a bit too long to cut them, so they didn’t last as long as I would have liked. It’s best to cut peonies when they are still in bud and I missed it this year by a few days. Life got in the way, and I just didn’t have a chance to spend any time in the garden. They were almost completely open when I brought them in, but they stayed fresh for almost a week.Â
Arranging peonies is easy because they have such big blooms and sturdy stems. Here are a few ideas…
Arranging Peonies in Mason Jars
Every flower looks good in a mason jar, and peonies are no exception. I especially love pink peonies in vintage blue mason jars…but any sort of jar will work. If you have enough room in your kitchen, spread your mason jars out on the counter. Add water to each jar. Begin placing the peony stems in the jars, making sure to snip each stem on an angle. By filling the jars all at the same time, you can make sure the peonies are divided evenly, and that the stems are a good height.Â
Galvanized Metal
Galvanized metal and peonies are the perfect pair. Any kind of galvanized metal container will work…even small buckets or watering cans. It’s a lovely example of rustic meets refined!
Arranging Peonies in Pitchers
Along with mason jars, pitchers are my go-to vessels for flowers. If you want to start (or add to) an ironstone collection, good places to look are Homegoods and T. J. Maxx. Sometimes you can find them at antique malls or flea markets, but those tend to be a bit pricier. Websites like Wayfair and Overstock also carry a nice variety of pitchers.Â
Centerpiece Idea
One of the easiest centerpiece ideas ever is to group several mason jars together in the middle of your table. Try to vary the heights of the jars, and add a pitcher or two for interest. There is no right or wrong way to do this…just place the jars, and move them around until you are happy with the way they look.Â
The dark pink peonies pictured in this post are ‘Kansas.’ They were planted about six years ago and it took a few years to get blooms…but it was definitely worth the wait. I also have ‘Jan Van Leeuwen.’ They have large white petals and a round yellow center. You can see how they looked in the garden by clicking {HERE.} I have two bushes with light pink blooms called ‘Elk Grove.’ They are on their third year, and I finally got some big blooms.Â
One thing I started doing and it has helped keep my bushes upright, was trim off all the tiny buds around a bigger bud. This eliminates a stem with five or more blooms at the top. I had this problem last year, and most of the peonies were on the ground because the tops were so heavy. The blooms are still heavy, but clipping the extra buds really helped.
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Shopping Sources:
blue and white pitcher (no longer available) | vintage blue mason jars | mason jar carriers | pitcher 1 | pitcher 2 | pitcher 3 | gardening scissors | gold handled scissors | round basket on coffee table | blue plaid towels (similar) | fabric on chairs | blue striped table runner |Â galvanized watering can 1 | galvanized watering can 2
If you have a favorite peony, please share in the comments! Thank you for stopping by…see you soon!