This week I decided to do an experiment with some Sarah Bernhardt peonies. They can be a florist’s nightmare as they can take ages to come out often arriving the size of table tennis balls only for them to go all blousy and peak too early! I read two theories on trying to coax them out – hitting the flower head smartly on the table top (ouch!) or picking the outside sticky leaves off. In nature this is what ants do – they eat all the sap and this unsticks the tight outer leaves and then the beautiful flower comes out. So, I tried both methods with Peony 1 & 2 and let numbers 3,4 and 5 do their own thing. And guess what? Neither trick made any difference – if anything, Peony 1 (far left in the photos) which got the bashing did not come out as fully as the rest. Peony No.4 is especially stunning – untouched, sweetly scented & looking gorgeous. SO the moral of the tale is be patient and let them do their own thing! They will come out when they are good and ready. Here’s their photo diary:
