Every year I eagerly await the chance to cut my first bouquet of peonies from my garden. I missed the majority of my very early ‘Pink Hawaiian Coral’ and ‘Coral Sunset’ ones this year as I was in Mexico when they bloomed. However, the ‘Raspberry Sundae’, ‘Sarah Bernhardt’, and mystery white (given by a friend) are coming on strong, and I still managed to catch two of the secondary Coral Sunset buds for my vase. The later varieties have buds that are just beginning to fatten.
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| Hawaiian Coral Peony |
The flowers in my garden, and particularly the tulips and peonies are a yearly reminder for me to take notice daily and to not take beauty for granted.
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| My first bouquet |
Peonies are a popular symbol of love, femininity, wealth and honour in Chinese culture. They are often portrayed in Chinese paintings, hung in the home to symbolize good luck and strong relationship.
For me, they are most strongly a symbol of beautiful impermanence. Even if I manage to temporarily capture their beauty and fragrance for my own enjoyment, I know that it will only last for a short time. So it is with all things.
Feng Shui Flowers – The Peony