Valley Pacific Floral Blog

Peonies are one of my favorite springtime flowers.  They are the first large bold flower to come alive in the garden in early spring.  Peony's bloom early, mid and late Spring Season.  The gorgeous coral shades bloom first in early Spring.  Then the yellow, pinks, maroon and white shades follow.

This year I got a chance to visit Adelman's Peony Garden located in Brooks, Oregon.  It was a delightful visit.  I was able to see up close all of the many beautiful peony varieties in the field.  There were acres of Peony's in full bloom.  Many varieties had large blooms that dangled close to the moist chocolate colored soil.  Adelman's Peony Garden also had a large area tarped and set up with many varieties of Peony's in bloom, all potted up ready for sale.  The Peony plants were tagged with the variety name and placed in alphabetical order making it easy to shop for my favorite varieties.  I was able to purchase several varieties to add to my cutting garden at our local farm.  Adelman's Peony Garden provided me with a lovely catalog that pictured all the variety names and growing habits along with the size of the blossoms.  The catalog made it easy for me to select the varieties and research the ones that would be beneficial for a late or early bloom.  Ordering on-line for a fall delivery date.  Peony roots are best planted in the fall just in time for their dormant time of the year.  Peony's need the cold winter time to compete their dormant season and prepare for the beauty that comes in the spring.  Peony plants often

The Peony flower has really become popular the last few years. The sweet smell and large lush blooms have caught the attention of brides world-wide.  Many brides request Peony's in their wedding Bridal Bouquets.  They are a very romantic  fragrant flower, and grace any bridal bouquet with romance and elegance.  Peony's are very much an old fashioned flower and it warms my heart to be able to work them into our wedding bouquets for our brides.  I love it when brides come into Valley Pacific Floral INC with their favorite wedding bouquet images and they are all adorned with lush gorgeous double flowering Peony's.  Peony's are usually worked into the Bridal Bouquets as the focal flower. 

Peony blooms are categorized in five different types.  They are semi-double blooms-larger outside petals with shorter finer petals in the centers with the stamens showing.  The Japanese bloom had larger outer petals and the insides petals look shredded and the stamens are prominently showing.  The double bloom is a cushion style with many petals all the same side filling in the entire head of the peony.  The bomb is a type with smaller petals in the center and larger petal around the outside, the small petals mound in the center look like an explosion.  Lastly, there is the single peony, it is a daisy like style.  The root can take up to two or three years before the plant is developed enough for a bloom.  However the beautiful blooms are well worth the wait.

Peony Delight is the perfect name for our spring loose vase arrangement.   We used our very own locally grown soft pink bomb-type variety from our cutting garden.  The Peony Delight is our featured arrangement during the spring season.  They are truly a Peony Delight.  Next spring we will have more varieties to add to our garden for cutting.  New white colored variety named "Ann Cousins" and a pretty yellow variety named "Lemon Chiffon". 

When cutting Peony's from the garden it's best to cut early in the morning.  Make sure the buds are slightly, swollen and starting to crack before cutting.  The buds should be a bit spongy and showing some color.  Try to leave two brackets of leaves on the plant when you cut.  This insures enough nutrients will go back into the bulb for a healthy root system and ample blooms the following year.  Once the bloom is cut strip off any foliage that will be below the water line in the vase.  This will cut down on the water spoiling too fast from decay.  Add a flower preservative to keep the bacteria from growing in the water and cut the stems just before you place them in the vase.  If the flower stem is cut and then allowed to dry it might get an air pocket in the stem and not draw water as easily.  Check the water lever of the vase daily and keep it as full as possible.

Once your bouquet is made it is best if you display it in a cool place or someplace that is at room temperature.  For example, a dining room table, side table, or counter top.  You wouldn’t want to place it near a heating vent, on the microwave, near a stove top or even in a window with bright sunlight.  Any one of these places would decrease the longevity of the bouquet.  The cooler the bouquet is kept the slower the maturity of the bud and flower bloom.

Next Spring, I highly, recommend a trip to Adelman's Peony Garden, in Brooks, OR.  Adelman's Peony Garden is open from late may until mid-June.   Peony's flowers in your garden will add a delightful grace and a pleasant assurance that springtime is just around the corner.  Make your own Peony Delight bouquet and enjoy  the delight of Peony's in your home.