15 beautiful peony bouquets to order right now

It's peony season and that means the UK’s favourite sweet-scented, fluffy flowers are back.

Peonies symbolise prosperity, good luck, beauty, love and honour – in fact, the Chinese name for peony is 'sho yu', which means 'most beautiful' – and they're favoured both as garden plants (the perennial Paeonia lactiflora 'Angel Cheeks' works wonders in borders) and cut flowers (ideal for tablescapes or sideboard styling).

Peony bouquets often grace households during spring/summer, praised for their mood-lifting, bloom-bursting, magical appearance (a golf ball-sized bud will open to three times its size), and wonderful abundance of colour. Any peony lover will know that these blooms make a fleeting but glorious appearance, as they are only in season from April to June.

Peony season starts with Coral Charms; these are the first to bloom each spring, just a few weeks between late April and early May. With colour-changing petals, their large ruffled petals transform from a vibrant coral shade to vintage cream. Powder pink Sarah Berndhart peonies, probably the most recognisable, follow suit and are in season from early May through to the end of June.

How to ensure your peony bouquet blooms to its full potential

Whether you've been gifted some gorgeous peony flowers or, like us, you love decorating your home with fresh blooms to mark the changing seasons, follow these care tips:

• 'The number one tip is to keep the water extremely fresh. Aim to clean and refill your vase around every two to three days and keep a close eye on the water levels,' says Maryam Ghani of Haute Florist.

• Trimming peonies by at least 3-5cm allows water inside to hydrate them fast. And cutting them at an angle gives as much surface area as possible to drink from. 'Make sure to re-cut the stems every few days as flower ends can quickly become waterlogged, causing flowers to droop,' says Freddie Garland, founder of Freddie's Flowers.

• Peonies can produce nectar (even when cut), which can glue the petals together, so gently wipe away any sap with a warm, damp sponge to help them open up.

• 'If you think they are a little too closed, pop their heads in a bowl of warm water and smack them on the table. That’ll speed up the opening process. Don’t whack them too hard though! Gently does it,' adds Freddie.

• Keep peonies away from direct sunlight and radiators (as they're dehydrating) and fruit (because it releases gases that can make flowers fade).

• Are your peonies looking less than perky? Pop them in the fridge. 'This is a little known secret that's perfect for bringing your favourite blooms back to life,' say the expert florists at Interflora. 'If your new bunch of peonies aren’t looking too good, Interflora suggests chopping the stems at an angle, popping them in some cold water and letting them rest in the fridge until they’re looking springtime-fresh once more.'

Peony bouquet arrangements – what to pair it with?

Peonies can most definitely hold their own, so multiple stems of peony flowers in the same colour will always make an impact, but they work equally well paired with other blooms.

'While they’re glorious on their own they work wonderfully with pastel-coloured flowers, agapanthus, alliums, stocks, and alstroemeria,' says Freddie. For an Insta-worthy arrangement, Inteflora's top picks would be roses, delphiniums, stocks and lilacs, or even lavender.

And don't forget the impact of foliage – eucalyptus or green bell pair particularly well with peony flowers.

What's the best vase for peonies?

It depends on the arrangement of your peony bouquet and the height of the stems, but peonies are best displayed in a low or medium-sized vase. A goldfish bowl type of vase works well with their full rounded shape, say Interflora. Make sure to measure the stems against the vase, leaving the flower heads just above the top for a luxe look.

On that note, shop our pick of the best peony bouquets for summer 2023, available to order online right now for delivery.