My peonies are blooming early this year however they are still a glorious bundle of ruffles. Peonies can live for 50 years and there are only 30 species. Native to Asia, Southern Europe and Western North America they are the symbol of wealth, luck and happiness. Apparently they are the number one image of tattoos along with koi, I would have never guessed!
With a recorded history that dates back thousands of years, it’s not surprising that even the mythology surrounding the origin of the peony has multiple versions. One legend has it that the peony is named after Paeon, a physician to the gods, who received the flower on Mount Olympus from the mother of Apollo. And another tells the story of that same physician who was “saved” from the fate of dying as other mortals by being turned into the flower we know today as the peony. The traditional floral symbol of China, the state flower of Indiana, and 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