The peony time has at long last begun, the quality of which is excellent, and there is a plentiful supply as Henk van den Berg of Summerflowers writes in his latest blog.
The peony time is a period to enjoy this queen of seasonal flowers. The assortment of peonies almost seems endless. However, the variety of peonies found in flower shops is often limited to around 20 varieties. The earliest peonies are now coming in from the fields, and a later variety still needs to be harvested from the greenhouses.
Out of the first open field peonies, the Coral varieties are a real eye-catcher. These large globes change colors from a dark pink to an almost yellow color. Likewise, the large Red Charme is a flower to remember. This latter one is so beautiful that losing its inner flower petals after around three days can be overlooked. Because this peony is a direct descendant from the old farmer's peony, it is closely linked to peony cultivation basics.
At the moment, there are many different, and even new, peony varieties. The flowers are becoming even larger and even more impressive. Of course, it is highly recommended to see this change for yourself. However, a large group of peonies is still being supplied the most—the most famous of which is the Sarah Bernhardt peony. The extreme, double-sized pink peony has an important point of attraction. Buy the flower when it has already started to open up. Buds that are too hard will not open up, which is a shame. If the smell is the most important aspect, you should opt for the white Duchesse de Nemours. The fragrance of this pure white peony is truly unique. The same goes for the relatively unknown Alertie peony. The bud is beautifully round but doesn’t appear big even though it will grow to become a large flower as well, which shape stands out. When breaking it down, a flower is made up of three characteristics. The beautiful, clear sepals, the well-filled heart of the flower, and the circle of specially shaped leaves below it. An advantage to this peony is that it will always bloom and remain beautiful for at least one week in a vase.
The entire blog & all of Henk van den Berg’s other blogs can be read here.