Our top tips on making your peonies last

As we enjoy the fabulous peony season, we asked our florists for some of their top tips on how to make your peonies last longer so we can make the most of them this season...

Buy them in their closed bud stage

When we think of peonies, we think of big blousy blooms and peony buds are certainly not the prettiest stage of a their lifespan. However, when buying peonies it is important to buy them as closed buds if you would like them to last so you can enjoy them for longer. Once the peony buds feel soft, they are close to opening.

Trim the stems

An important step for all cut flowers…prior to placing your peonies in a vase – we recommend cutting the stems at an angle, this will help them be able to drink more water. Cutting the stems slightly every few days will also help the flowers to keep drinking.

Remove leaves from below the waterline

When arranging your peonies in a vase, remove any leaves that are below the waterline as these will encourage bacteria to grow on the bouquet and cause your peonies to die faster.

Remove any wilted flowers

Whether your peonies are in a mixed bouquet or are on their own, keep an eye on any wilted flowers and remove these as soon as you spot them, this will prevent spreading of bacteria to the rest of the bouquet.

Keep them cool!

As the weather gets warmer, choose a place for your peonies that is away from direct sunlight. Peonies like to keep cool as the heat will speed up their blooming process. If you have space, you can even place your peonies in your fridge over night to keep them cool.

Change the water

Peonies are thirsty flowers so it’s important to make sure they always have enough water, in hot weather – you may find yourself replacing the water in their vase daily! Even if there is still water in the vase, change the water every 2-3 days to ensure the water is fresh.

Use a sterilising tablet

For all of our bouquets, we recommend using a sterilising tab in the water to keep away bacteria and improve the lifespan of our fabulous
florals!