As peony season comes to a close, I’m finally taking a breath to look back on it. It’s been such a busy season, but also the best peony season yet on the farm. We had hundreds of blooms and keeping up with harvesting them was often comical. While we didn’t cut from our newest plantings, we were able to cut from our three rows we planted 4 years ago and boy, did they deliver!

We had a fair number of special orders and the rest went out on the cart. We sold out almost every day! I so appreciate our community for supporting us and loving our peonies! I’ve already ordered over 150 new plants for next year!

We pick the peonies when they are in loose bud stage, often referred to as “marshmallow” stage. I recently read a descriptor stating that the petals should have some air between them and I think that’s actually my preferred way to describe it. If picked in bud like this, they will last much longer in the vase.

Of course, we brought lots of flowers inside to enjoy! As you can see, I most often just mass them altogether in a vase. It’s easy, quick and looks beautiful!

We also took the time to do a little taste testing with the peonies for a special project that I’m working on for next year!

Peony season is gone in a flash, but I think that is actually what makes them so, so special. They force you to enjoy them in the moment, they invite you to put your nose right into the velvety petals to smell the distinctive peony fragrance and they are so voluminous that you simply can’t ignore them (the bees feel the same way). It’s been such a beautiful peony season (though we are desperate for rain now!) and I’m already looking forward to next year.