A Passion for Peonies

by Terri

About this time of year, you’ll usually find me rhapsodizing about peonies. If there’s anything that takes the sting out of the end of the cactus blooming season (and the beginning of our summer heat) it’s the arrival of the peonies. And, really, who doesn’t love peonies? They come in so many gorgeous colors that it’s hard to choose one so I don’t even try.

Since we can’t grow them here in the desert, I have to settle for buying them at Trader Joe’s.

The first ones to arrive are the gorgeous watermelon pink ones:

The amazing thing about this type is that each day their color fades a little more:

. . . and a little more:

. . . until they are almost white:

This type also tends to produce the largest flowers, opening up to blooms that are about 7 inches across!

Then there are the hot pink, almost fuchsia ones:

These also fade a bit the longer they are open and I love the multitude of different pinks in their petals.

And, of course, the beautiful, pristine white ones:

And then there's the purples! This is a variety I haven't seen before. They don’t have near as many petals and are smaller but those yellow moppy centers against the purple . . . swoon!

Then there are the soft lilac ones.  I love that these are a completely different type not only in color but in texture (“texture” is our Monthly Focus, if you didn’t know!) Their inner petals are fluffy and numerous and they always remind me of those tissue paper flowers we used to make as kids!

This “fluffy” type also comes in a barely-there pale lilac pink:

 

But probably my most favorite thing about peonies besides their gorgeous colors and wonderful scent is that they are so photogenic. When peonies enter my house, they had better be prepared to have their photo taken! 

As has probably become obvious, I am passionate about flowers and about macro photography and so I am in my happy place when I have flowers to shoot, whether they are in my garden or in the middle of my kitchen table, and I’m giving my macro lens a workout getting up close and personal with them. 

And lest you think I am blowing our entire food budget on peonies during the month of May, my family knows how much I love them and my Mother’s Day gift usually includes a gift card from Trader Joe’s to be used for just this purpose. They know me well and thank goodness they do!

I hope you live where you can grow peonies or that there is a place where you can buy them because photos do not do them justice.  They have to be seen to be believed!