The title really says it all.
Check out this DIY post on how to arrange these AMAZING BEAUTIES!
This world is a better place because we have PEONIES! They instantly make me smile! They are elegant and cheery. They are grand and beautiful. They brighten any room. They make home decor instantly better. They are superb all on their own and make any centerpiece shine. Their heads are large and in charge. Their colors are absolutely glorious! They make a magical gift. They are show-stoppers!
Peonies are my favs…in case you couldn’t tell. 😉
And…they are available, right now…at Trader Joe’s!! There goes my grocery budget…again. I seriously can’t walk out of the store without a few bunches…EVERY TIME! At least TJ’s has the best prices around!
I’m a firm believer in HOWEVER you arrange peonies in ANY container/vase, the arrangement will be amazing. You can literally take them out of the plastic from the store and plop them into a jar (OK maybe you cut the stems a bit shorter depending on how big your jar is) and they will look beautiful. That is all I did in the center pic above. I gave each stem a fresh cut (which you should always do) and haphazardly placed them into a concrete jar. The other two arrangements were a bit more involved, but not hard to create by any means. In the arrangement on the left, I used a “dog” bowl I purchased from Home Goods…and I threw in some artichokes which kicked it up a few notches. I used a wood salad bowl in the arrangement pic on the right (above). I’m telling ya, you can put peonies in ANYTHING and they will be stunning!
Most peonies have a light, sweet fragrance that is just divine. It’s subtle and pretty and not overbearing, in case you have allergies. The color varieties are GORGEOUS! They range from white to deep burgundy with all the shades of pink in between. Personally, the coral color is my absolute fav!
What makes peonies so interesting and amazing is their extra large variegated, multi-colored petals, with various layers and textures! Some peonies only have a few layers so when they open you see the giant sunburst yellow center. Others are so multi-layered that you don’t see a center at all. I mean they are ALL a masterful work of art…each and every one!
So, in this particular arrangement, I used three bunches of peonies…bubble gum pink, a super faint pastel creamy pink, and of course, a coral color. I picked up this cream stripe textured ceramic 6-inch pot from Home Goods. And because my container was not very tall and I wanted the peonies to stay put where I placed them, I used a chunk of wet floral foam. I soaked my square of foam in a bucket of water for about 20 minutes while I got all set up. You can get the exact floral foam here:
You will need some cutting sheers, of course, and any larger knife to cut the floral foam. I use a lazy susan when I make all of my arrangements. That way I can easily turn it to see all sides and angles and make sure everything is balanced.
I literally placed the brick of wet foam on top of my ceramic pot to “eyeball” how much to cut off to fit it inside. Basically for this one, I simply cut the corners at an angle mimicking the shape of the container.
To “green it up” first, I cut short twigs off branches of this cool eucalyptus variety. Any kind of greens will do. They are not mandatory by any means however they add an extra layer of color, texture, and interest overall.
The shape I went for in this one was a long, oval shape as opposed to a typical round shape. I accomplished this by cutting the twigs longer for the two opposite sides and then used really short twigs in the center. You want to stick the stems into the foam about 2 inches.
Now for the amazing part! I continued with the oval shape when placing in the peonies. Usually, I start with the largest head flowers first. I cut the stems about eight inches long and stuck them into the floral foam about two inches. Really, anywhere you place these peonies, they will look awesome.
I placed the smaller heads and buds in last. I spaced them out and cut the stems a little longer to peak up above the rest of the huge flower heads.
Just three bunches of huge peonies arranged together made a pretty large, GORGEOUS centerpiece!
But wait…there’s more!…
I LOVE finishing off my floral foam arrangements with moss. I use this green reindeer moss all the time. I love the bright spongy green look to compliment the flowers. I think it gives the arrangement a rustic quality which I think looks organic and amazing.
No need to go searching for this exact moss…you can get it on Amazon right here:
I simply placed the little chunks of moss on top of the floral foam inside the perimeter of the container. The more you see, the better as far as I’m concerned! Just be sure to cover all the foam so you don’t see any peeking through. And that’s it!
I mean BEAUTIFUL…right?!! I LOVE PEONIES SO MUCH! Grab a few bunches whenever you can. You can literally use any type of container you already have at home.
This arrangement would make a lovely gift, wouldn’t it?! Or if you keep it for yourself, it will transform your dining table and make any room pretty!
Yay for peony season!! Have fun arranging your peonies and enjoy them to the fullest!
~Debora
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