Yesterday I went on a hunt for white peonies…really any peonies. Most people spend their Saturday mornings with a cup of coffee browsing through news or making breakfast or taking a morning run…I spent my Saturday morning on a feverish hunt for the last of this season’s peonies.
Off I went to the flower mart. By myself, I might add. I couldn’t find any partners in crime for this treasure hunt. I got to the flower market in downtown Los Angeles a little late. Everyone there…seemed to have a know it all smile on their faces as they scurried through the halls and halls of flowers with large bundles of blooms wrapped in newspaper print. I was flowerless. I went from one vendor to the next asking for peonies. Each looked at me blankly. One man said, “We don’t have any…they are out of season”. Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat??? I have this new found love for a flower that I was the last on the bandwagon to be obsessed with and now you don’t have them? Whaaaaaaaaaaaat?? I refused to give up. Another man gestured that he didn’t have any peonies but that someone over in a corner might have some. I went to every corner in the mart and finally I found one guy who had a bucket of peonies but there was only one bunch of pink that were already open and on their last limb. I still didn’t give up. After circling the flower market in a frenzy, I happened on one vendor who had dozens and dozens of pink peonies…all wide open and none would last more than two days. My hopes were dashed until I spotted these pretties, sitting in a vase, not in a flower mart bucket with the rest. 10 stems for $30. Felt very pricey to me…but little did this vendor know…I would have paid anything for the last of peonies.
Now I have the peonies at home this Sunday…enjoying them. I was told at the flower market that we might have one more week of peonies…next Saturday I’ll be there…anyone in Los Angeles…you are welcome to join me!
I used a mason jar as a vase for my white peonies. Ā Decided for an informal vessel for these somewhat formal flowers. Ā I think they look good together. Ā What do you think?
Happy Sunday!
xo
Coco
P.S. Ā Follow me on SnapChat at cococozyblog to see my flower market hunts and more!
Coco,
I used to spend every other Saturday in the Flower Mart feeding my habit. However I discovered that Trader Joe’s and Ralph’s also have peonies. In fact, the Ralph’s on 3Rd and Vermont had bucketsfull of white peonies. I love the magenta peonies, which I finally found at the Ralph’s on Fountain and La Brea. Good luck!
Thank you! Good tip!
$3 a stem? Ouch!
They are awfully pretty. And they smell divine.