Flower of the Month: The Peony
Ask a mid-Michigan florist what makes June special and the answer is one word: peonies. They are the flower people wait all year for — full, ruffled, faintly fragrant, and somehow both grand and old-fashioned at once. But peony season here is a genuine sprint, not a marathon, and buying them well means understanding a little about how they grow and travel. Consider this your June primer on the queen of the early-summer garden.
The Short, Sweet Season
Field-grown Michigan peonies bloom for roughly three to four weeks, generally clustered around late May into June depending on the year's weather. That narrow window is exactly why brides and hosts get anxious about them, and why we are always upfront about timing. Before and after that stretch, peonies still exist in the market — grown in other climates or held in cold storage — but availability gets thinner and prices climb accordingly. If your heart is set on peonies for a specific June date, the earlier you talk to us, the better we can plan. When they are truly in season, though, few flowers give you more presence for the price.
How to Buy Them Right
The most common peony mistake is buying them fully open. Peonies should come to you as tight, marshmallow-firm buds showing just a hint of color, because they open dramatically over two to four days indoors. A bud that feels squishy or is already blown wide will drop its petals within a day. Gently squeeze — you want the give of a firm marshmallow, not a rock and not a pillow. At home, recut the stems, use cool water, and be patient; the slow reveal is half the joy. If a bud is stubborn, a few minutes in slightly warmer water often coaxes it awake. This is exactly the kind of buying know-how we are glad to share when you visit.
Let's Talk About the Ants
Yes, garden peonies often arrive crawling with ants, and no, it is not a sign of anything wrong. The old story is that peonies need ants to open; that is a charming myth. The truth is simpler — peony buds secrete a sweet nectar along their sepals, and ants show up for the free meal. They do no harm to the flower at all. Before bringing garden peonies indoors, hold the stems upside down and give them a gentle shake, or dunk the heads briefly in cool water and swish, then let them dry. The ants leave, the flowers are perfect, and the porch stays peaceful.
Peonies Beyond the Garden
If you do not grow your own, peony season is a wonderful reason to treat yourself or someone else. A lush peony-forward everyday arrangement lands comfortably in our $45 to $125 range, and a fuller centerpiece for a June dinner runs $75 to $250 depending on size. They are a favorite for June weddings, too, where a peony bridal bouquet is pure romance. Whatever the occasion, order early in the season through bentleyflorist.com or give us a call, because once the local fields finish, that particular magic gets harder to find.
A Note From The Design Bench
We have a soft spot for peonies that borders on unreasonable. There is nothing quite like opening the cooler in June to a wall of them, still tight and full of promise. Buy them as buds, be patient, and let them do their slow, spectacular thing — it is worth every day of the wait.
— The design team at Bentley Florist
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