It’s that time of year for big, beautiful blooms of peonies. Since I began the week with sugar peonies (by Ron Ben-Israel) I thought it was fitting to feature fresh peonies. These peonies are arranged by Michael George. Michael is known for his monochromatic and mono-genus arrangements with perfectly clean cut stems. And it also seemed fitting to feature his fresh peonies because they are his favorite flower. Michael once said to me, “I think of the peony as the queen of the garden and the rose as the duchess.” (I found it interesting that he had a definite favorite flower- I thought it might change with the seasons, or he’d have a few favorites since he’s surrounded by almost every type of flower, every day of his life.)

There’s nothing like having a bouquet of fresh flowers on a table or console as you walk through your front door. Fresh flowers are the easiest way to bring in color to a room and these colors can really complement a lot of different home interiors. They pop against tans and creams-they look dramatic in a blue room or on a black piece of furniture- fresh and youthful in a yellow room and rich and romantic in a monochromatic room of reds and pinks. I hope you’ll treat yourself and bring some peonies into your home.