Oh, for the love of the peony flower! If you are on instagram, no doubt your feed has been full of peony shots like mine has. I'm no exception to the photo sharing, having posted at least two myself this season. I don't know if it's that more people are mad for them, or just a result of our seeming need to share everything, but peonies are everywhere, and I am loving it!
Ha! maybe a little more than loving them...here's a screen shot of my phone last Sunday when I just couldn't stop trying to absorb them through photos. Plum crazy! But it was sure fun to be up close and personal with them for an extended period of time...the scent alone...
They really are such show offs. I think that's a good quality in a flower. We can't grow them in our So Cal climate, so Trader Joe's comes to the rescue every year with reasonably priced bundles.
What struck me this year is the variety. I didn't really appreciate before all the various types of peonies there are. Maybe this year Trader's is getting a wider range, or maybe I'm just cluing in, but it's been a fun surprise to see what comes of the buds after buying.
I love peony buds. I am fond of pods and round shapes in nature. I think circle shapes found in flowers are a good quality too. ;)
Like I said, total show off, right?
It doesn't take more than plopping them in some water (I do always give the stems a fresh cut) to have a pretty bouquet. Then they just do their thing.
Although, all that said, I think the succulents hold their own next to the flowers. A nice strong, yet somehow soft, contrast.
Which is good, because I think peony season is coming to an end, and I need something to fill up my phone camera with...
So tell me, did you get or grow (lucky you!) any peonies this year? I'm betting lots of you fell for their siren song...at $6.00 a bundle, Trader Joe's has them priced to enable peony obsession after all.
