Peony

Peony bouquets, the romantic European flower with a 2-month seasonal window

Peonies are one of the most romantic and most photographed cut flowers in the global florist catalogue. Each bloom is large (8cm to 12cm wide when fully open), with dozens of layered ruffled petals that give peonies their signature cabbage-like fullness. The Singapore Florist studio has been importing peonies from European farms since the early 2010s when the global supply chain matured enough to make Singapore delivery viable. They are the most-requested flower for modern brides, anniversary gifts, and the kind of romantic gesture where you want something distinctly more memorable than roses.

The big constraint with peonies is seasonality. Peonies are seasonal flowers grown primarily in the Netherlands, Italy, and France, with peak production from April to June each year. During these 8 to 10 weeks, we get reliable weekly shipments and can offer peonies at the SGD 18 per stem range with 3 to 5 days lead time. Outside the peak season (July to March), peonies are imported from off-season growers in Australia, New Zealand, Israel, and Chile, where the price rises to SGD 25 to SGD 35 per stem and lead time extends to 7 to 10 days. For weddings and anniversaries planned in advance, this timing matters significantly.

Pricing starts at SGD 128 for the 6-stem hand-bouquet (peak season) and reaches SGD 588 for the 24-stem premium arrangement (off-season import). Most peony orders land in the SGD 168 to SGD 288 range. The most-ordered varieties are Sarah Bernhardt (classic blush pink, the bridal default), Coral Charm (vivid coral-pink, the modern bride favourite), Karl Rosenfield (deep crimson red, dramatic and romantic), and Duchesse de Nemours (pure white, traditional and elegant). For the wider rose-and-peony bridal palette, see our bridal bouquets collection. For the special-flowers catalogue including other rare imports, see special flowers. Read more in our guides to rose colour meanings, number of roses meaning, and how long roses last.

How we condition peonies to fully open in time for the delivery date

Peonies arrive from European growers as tight closed buds, looking more like green marbles than the fluffy ruffled blooms most customers expect. The conditioning step is what transforms them. When the shipment lands at our Eunos Techpark studio (typically Tuesday and Friday mornings during peak season), we trim each stem at a 45-degree angle, strip the lower foliage, and place the buds in cool nutrient water with a small amount of warm water added to encourage bloom opening. Over the next 24 to 72 hours, the buds gradually unfurl into the full peony shape. The exact timing depends on the variety and the room temperature. For wedding deliveries we time the arrival 2 to 3 days before the ceremony so the blooms reach peak openness on the wedding day itself. For everyday gift deliveries, we condition for 24 to 48 hours and dispatch when the buds are 60 to 70 percent open, so they continue blooming in the recipient's home over the next 2 to 3 days. Vase life after delivery is typically 5 to 7 days.