The gorgeous peony is one of the delights of late spring and throughout the summer. With their sweet scent and variety of color options ranging from white to ivory to subtle pastel tones to deep pinks, reds, oranges and yellows, there’s sure to be a peony for every taste and style.
The history of peonies actually dates back thousands of years. There are records of the Chinese cultivating peonies from over 4,000 years ago. There are literally hundreds of varieties still in bloom there, and many have made there way to Europe and other parts of the world. The Chinese had a reverence for the peony which continues to this day. The used them in medicine as well as in their landscaping. There are a number of beautiful paintings, drawings and poems dedicated to the peony in Chinese history.
In the imperial flower gardens of Xiyuan, Empress Wu is having a ceremonial cup of tea with princess Tai Ping. On this cold winter’s day, there’s a clear, sweet fragrance of jasmine in the air. The queen suddenly is overcome with melancholy. She looks for signs of an early spring, but only jasmine blossoms, all other flowers are still hidden under a layer of snow.
Ever the practical woman, Empress Wu decides to compose a poem for the Flower Goddess. In it, she rhymes: “Let it be spring tomorrow, don’t wait another day. Let every flower bloom tonight, as if it was already May!” While opinions differ on the literary merit of her poem, everyone agrees empress Wu often gets what she wants. So the Flower Goddess agrees and makes every flower blossom in winter. The next day, all the flowers are blooming except for one: the stubborn peony. Wu is furious and she banishes the flower to Luoyang. Once the peony arrives in Luoyang, it surprises everyone with its beauty.
In a Chinese legend, the peony spirit, Gejin took the form of a human woman because she had fallen in love with a Chinese man. She married this man and they had two children together. However, after a few years he realized his wife and children were not mortal like he was. Rather than facing the wrath of her angry husband, Gejin took her children and fled back to the spirit world. So he could remember his children, she left two tree peonies with blooms bigger than any tree peony before. They were named Gejin’s Purple and Gejin’s White. Today, Gejin’s Purple or Jia Ge Jin Zi, is still one of the most popular varieties of tree peonies cultivated in Luoyang, China, the tree peony capital of the world.
The Greeks regarded the peony as medicinal, and their name is derived from Paian, who was the physician of the gods. Both the Greeks and Romans used peonies in herbal remedies, and this tradition continued into the Middle Ages. Benedictine monks north of the Alps grew them in their monastery gardens.
The 19th century saw Impressionist artists using the peony as subject matter, and it was depicted in gorgeous paintings created by Renoir, Gauguin, Manet, Fantin-Latour, Delacroix, Bazille, and others.
The peony is the 12th wedding anniversary flower. Peonies are known as the flower of riches and honor. With their lush, full, rounded bloom, peonies embody romance and prosperity and are regarded as an omen of good fortune and a happy marriage. Therefore, it’s appropriate to give peonies to wish someone well in a marriage or as a prosperous omen of a new job or new business. If someone is starting a new chapter in their life, this is an appropriate gift to signify you sincerely wish them the best.
Locally Gardners is best florist to find fresh cut peonies.