How To Make An Easy Peony Flower Arrangement

Do you buy fresh flowers? Or do you cut flowers from your yard to bring indoors? The Seattle area is surrounded by some great flower farms and we are lucky to have pretty varieties in the markets. A friend tipped me off on a peony farm that I’ll share further down. Since moving here, I’ve been trying to visit all the flower farms I can.

Before going to the farm though, I purchased some peonies from Trader Joe’s and had fun using some tips I learned from a floral arranging class at a shop called The London Plane, which sadly closed post-pandemic. The cafe/flower shop was housed in an a beautiful old bank, featured many flowers grown by local farmers, sold pastries baked on-site and more. I will greatly miss the space, the food, the classes, the employees.

I could go on with nostalgia, but I’ll move onto the flower arranging.

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1. Gather Materials for How To Make An Easy Peony Flower Arrangement

I chose hydrangea for their size, some eucalyptus to give height and movement, and of course the peonies! Oh and water to fill the vase!

For this arrangement I used the low ceramic vase that was given as part of the peony arranging class I did. Similar versions are linked at the end of the post.

2. Cut off stems at an angle.

If you have ever read up on floral arranging or taking care of bouquets, you may already know the angle cut helps the stems draw in water. I sort of eyeball the stem against the vase, then place it in the vase to see if I need to cut more.

3. Trim off any leaves that will touch water.

This step helps prevent decay and bacteria from shortening the life of your arrangement.

4. Place fullest flowers in vase.

In this arrangement there is no foam, flower frog or grid of tape. If I find the flowers drop too much, I secure with rubberband around the stems .

5. Add in next largest flower-peonies!

Hydrangeas tend to wilt quickly, so I remove them and adjust as needed. As peonies open, they will take up the space left by hydrangeas. So you kind of get two arrangements!

6. Add in the greenery.

It is good to rotate the vase and look for any empty spots that need to be filled. As you move the vase, add in the greenery so it sits at the lowest and highest levels. I like the look of the stems spraying out of the bouquet.

Display your arrangement!

Two of the peonies had just started to open, while some remained shut tight. This method of arranging is lose and open for adaptations. You can add roses, anemones, more eucalyptus, and sometimes a random branch or filler will be at the store or in your yard that you can add in. I set this one out for a small dinner party while the hydrangea was still fresh and peonies just starting to pop.

Edit the arrangement.

I mentioned that hydrangea tend to wilt quickly, at least for me. The peonies definitely outlast the hydrangea, and they open they fill up the vase on their own. Once the hydrangea wilt, I remove them and change the water. You can also add in other flowers too if you need to fill any gaps.

More Tips for Your Peony Flower Arrangement

Peonies are so pretty and full. They look great all on their own in tall and short vases.

Tips

• For a more dramatic arrangement, use a tall vase.
• To create a more natural look, use a vase with a simple design.
• If you’re using greenery, make sure it complements the color of the peonies.
• Change the water every few days to keep the flowers fresh.

Peony farm visit.

On a whim we had booked a trip for Memorial weekend. The place is close to Pure Peonies, a farm a friend told me about. To drive there from Seattle is a bit long for a day trip, but was manageable when staying nearby. If you can’t make the trip, bouquets are available for purchase via their website.

I am not sponsored or affiliated with the farm; just think it is a cool place to share.

Tip: before visiting a flower farm, check their website, Facebook page, or other means of communication to make sure flowers are blooming and that they are indeed open for visitors.

The field is small, but enough space for a kiddo to run around. There are plants, single stems and bouquets for sale.

I bought about twenty single stems that we brought to our vacation rental for a few days before returning home. Once we got home I made up a bouquet for my sister-in-law (the light colors in tall vase on right), and three short arrangements in mason jars for teachers and neighbors.

Thank you!

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Try this method when floral arranging:

Another idea for floral fun- making a wreath with dried flowers.

Try this tropical floral arrangement.

More about why London Plane was so special: creating community and timeless design inspo

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I found vases that look similar to the ones I show in the post, as well as faux flowers and greenery. My favorite floral scissors are also linked!