{peony season}

The short lived peony season is now upon us!!!  With a full inventory after Mother's Day, I was able to pick up a few bunches of bright fuchsia peonies on sale at Whole Foods for $8 per 5-stem bunch (I had to stop myself from buying more than 2 bunches which was really an exercise in self control that I shockingly succeeded at.)   These lush fluffy flowers come in an array of colors usually shades of pinks or white and are definitely the one of the darlings of the flower world.  These blooms are generally a bit more pricey than your regular fresh bouquet and will require some special care in order to keep the fresh cut flowers thriving for as long as possible.  After buying my fair share of peony bunches and working alongside some of the most experienced floral companies in the Chicago wedding industry, I've picked up a few tips for elongating the life of these gorgeous flowers that I thought I would share with you today:

{one thing to keep in mind here is that you will want to buy peonies fully closed (see photo below) to last as long as possible.  The blooms will open within a day if you keep them in a warm room.  If you are buying peonies in the afternoon that you wish to be displayed that same evening you may want to select a bunch that has started to open already because your blooms might not open in time.}