How to Make a Peony Arrangement

Learn how to make a peony arrangement in this quick and easy tutorial! This simple and beautiful peony centerpiece is fabulous for entertaining and makes a beautiful gift, too.

I was always intimidated to create a floral centerpiece. I was lost as far as what to purchase, where to start, and fearful of the outcome.

For so long, I used to say “I wish I knew how to”, “I wish I had time to” or “if only I could”. Then, one day I just went for it and learned!

One day early into my blogging career, I needed a beautiful flower arrangement for a magazine shoot and didn’t have the budget to order one. I decided I’d give it a try with a little guidance from a floral friend of mine who could walk me through it over the phone if needed. 

Since that day, I have learned so much. I love sharing my favorite floral tips with you! I’ve shown you how to be your own florist, how to revive wilted hydrangea, and even how to create a centerpiece of hydrangea or ranunculus.

If you love peonies as much as I do, don’t skip this incredible Peony Flower guide!

Peony Arrangement

I felt so much pride creating that first centerpiece and gained a lot of confidence to just play with flowers and see what worked and what didn’t. I realized I had nothing to lose. There is no right or wrong way to design a centerpiece, it’s completely up to you.

Now I prefer arranging my own flowers rather than purchasing from a florist because I find playing with them is therapeutic. I buy stems at the grocery store weekly and create arrangements big and small to display throughout our home. 

When I was at Trader Joe’s recently, I found bunches of peonies for an incredible price. I was delighted to enjoy a second round of them after our Midwestern season.

Today I’m sharing how to create a simple centerpiece with peonies, roses and herbs, but you can always substitute your favorite blooms. 

Ingredients

• Peonies – We used white and blush here, but you can use any colors you like!
• Roses – These are a grocery store staple that are an affordable filler next to the roses. You can use any favorite “fillers” in this design though – Queen Anne’s lace has a similar lacey look!
• Herbs – We found this pretty blooming cilantro, but you can also use rosemary, basil, sage, or any other favorites. This adds both a touch of greenery and an incredible fragrance!

• Vase – In this tutorial, we used a short cylinder vase.
• Tape – If you’re using a vase with a wide opening, purchase clear florist tape to create a grid.

How to Make

1. Fill vase with water.
2. Create a grid with tape. 
3. Starting with your biggest bloom, remove leaves, cut stem and place in the center of the vase. 
4. Continue working your way out with the same type of flower “measuring” stems by placing them near the vase at the angle they’ll fall and trimming to size – don’t worry if it doesn’t feel full, you can fill in later. Set aside a few larger blooms to use later.
5. Working in a circle around your vase, repeat with the other flowers. Fill in with your big blooms and adjust as necessary. Don’t worry about some flowers falling higher or lower than others – it will give your centerpiece a unique shape  
6. Add 3 stems {I like odd numbers} of cilantro or herb of your choice – 1 at the top and 2 at the sides  

Frequently Asked Questions

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How to Make a Peony Arrangement

By Julie Blanner

Learn how to make a peony arrangement in this quick and easy tutorial! This simple and beautiful peony centerpiece is fabulous for entertaining and makes a beautiful gift, too.

Prep: 5 minutes mins

Cook: 10 minutes mins

Total: 15 minutes mins

Servings: 1

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Ingredients  

1x2x3x

• ▢ 10 stems Peonies any color
• ▢ 12 stems Roses (or similar – you can also use more peonies)
• ▢ 3-5 stems Herbs (or any favorite filler)

Instructions 

• Fill vase with water.
• Create a grid with tape.
• Starting with your biggest bloom, remove leaves, cut stem (you'll want it to be just a few inches taller than the vase itself) and place in the center of the vase. If you've made a grid, it will rest on the tape.
• Continue working your way out with the same type of flower “measuring” stems by placing them near the vase at the angle they’ll fall and trimming to size – don’t worry if it doesn’t feel full, you can fill in later. Set aside a few larger blooms to use later.
• Working in a circle around your vase, repeat with the other flowers. Fill in with your big blooms and adjust as necessary. Don’t worry about some flowers falling higher or lower than others – it will give your centerpiece a unique shape.
• Add 3 stems {I like odd numbers} of cilantro or herb of your choice – 1 at the top and 2 at the sides.

Tips

• Remove any yellowed leaves or lower leaves that will fall below the water line.
• Look for peonies that are tight, but are showing a good amount of color – you want them to feel like a marshmallow at bud stage.
• Don’t stress about your peony arrangement! Flowers are fun, and since they have a mind of their own, they are doing all the work for you.

Equipment

1 Pair of scissors or clippers

1 Vase (use a cylinder or your favorite)

Tape (use this to create a grid if your vase has a wide opening)