The peony: in the Flower Agenda from weeks 20 - 22
These are the cheerful scintillating months in the world of flowers! The peony is in the spotlight, bringing sunshine into the home from week 20 to week 22. The Flower Agenda at Funnyhowflowersdothat.co.uk will delight consumers. Introduce your customers to the charms of this fantastic flower over the coming weeks.
Origin of the peony
We have been enjoying the magnificent peony in Europe since 1784, but in China they had already fallen under its spell long before that. There, the peony was cultivated not only for its flowers, but particularly for its roots. According to Chinese belief it could be used to reduce fever and clot blood.
The peony’s colours and shapes
Anyone who falls for the charms of the peony is in luck: there are more than a thousand varieties available in all sorts of shapes and colours. They come with a single row of petals, or with semi-double or double flowers. There is also ample choice in terms of colour: the cheerful peony comes in pale yellow, romantic white, candy pink or dark red and the fragrance of peonies is beautifully sweet!
Care tips for customers
Give your customers the following tips in order to ensure they fully enjoy their peonies.
• Only sell peonies when they have a good colour, not when they’re unripe.
• Select a clean vase and fill it with tap water at room temperature.
• Add cut flower food to the water for a longer vase life.
• Cut or trim the stems diagonally by 3 to 5 cm with a sharp and clean knife or secateurs.
• Make sure there are no leaves hanging in the water.
• Do not place peonies in a draught, in full sun or near central heating.
• Regular top the vase up with tap water, because peonies are thirsty.
• Don’t place peonies near a fruit bowl. Fruit emits ethylene gas which will cause the flowers to age more rapidly.
How to make a peony bouquet
The peony is a feast for the eye and therefore a bouquet of peonies is always a delight. However, there are innovative ways to show off the peony and lend it even more power, as you can see in the photo below. Try removing it from its romantic setting. Make up a sizeable bouquet combined with Celosia, columbine, forget-me-not and lathyrus. Your customers will be amazed when they see what can be done with peonies!
Peony symbolism
Tell your customers about the peony’s symbolism, and he or she will go home with a big bundle of positivity. These cheerful bloomers represent opulence, abundance, love, happiness and health. Isn’t that what everyone wants?
Inspiration and information
Inspiring images of every flower in the Flower Agenda have been produced in line with the Horticulture Sector Trends 2016 (Groenbranche Trends 2016). These trends are a translation of the latest consumer trends and are specifically aimed at the horticulture sector for use both indoors and outdoors.
If you would like to find out more about the Flower Agenda click here.
