While peony season is over, we didn’t forget about it! We’ve had something special up our sleeves to share with you that is an over-the-top homage to Instagram’s favorite flower. When Joanna first suggested ombré peonies, both of us started brainstorming ideas. We thought of everything from simple tabletop flat lays to piles of peonies on antique ladders, but then Joanna came up with the idea of peonies + a vintage car… or as she called it, “a concept shoot to break the internet.” Genius. I was so excited to tackle the task of how to display the flowers and create a DIY floral arrangement that felt like more of an art installation.
Ombré Peony Floral Installation | DIY
While a step-by-step of this project would be challenging to really share, I wanted to provide a little insight to how we installed this display in this classic BMW and also include my supply list in case you want to re-create our installation.
Materials:
- Floral Chicken Wire
- Raw linen fabric
- Flower pruners
- Wrapped Floral Wire
- Peonies in 5 different shades creating an ombre affect
- Seeded and Feather Eucalyptus
- Vintage BMW (or any cool car) — many thanks to Sean’s cousin for letting us borrow his car for this shoot!
I draped the linen over the door of the car partially to protect the car from the chicken wire and partially for additional aesthetic appeal. I love the way the unfinished edges of these piece really add a surprising rustic, natural feel to this otherwise classic-style display. The chicken wire is secured in place with floral wire to the inside of the door so that it can hold the weight of the peonies and eucalyptus.
I made sure to double layer the wire with an imperfect overlap to create more security when I inserted stems through it. Once everything was set up, I got to work inserting the eucalyptus and peonies (dark at the top moving towards light at the bottom) through the chicken wire, making sure each stem was securely held in place. The resulting display has the look of peonies and eucalyptus are spilling out of the car window. Don’t you think something like this would be so fun for a wedding getaway car??
This display is just one of the endless creative ways to use peonies, which is one of the reasons they are just so lovable and popular. As you look forward to the next years peony season (or manage to snag a few if you live far north or find some from Alaska), here are a few peony tips:
Look for peonies still in bud form to purchase.
Many flowers won’t continue to open once they are cut, so this rule doesn’t apply across the board, but it’s definitely true for peonies. Purchasing open flowers means you won’t get nearly as much time to enjoy them before they start to fade.
Many peonies change in appearance as they open and fade.
One example is the Coral Charm Peony which starts out a bright coral color and fades to a soft peach. It’s so fun to experiment with different varieties and see how they change throughout their little lives.
Get creative with the petals.
Some peonies drop their petals, some explode their petals everywhere (like the Red Charm Peony) and some shrivel on the stem. If you want a super-luxurious bath, sprinkle a few dropped/exploded petals in the water! The silky feel and lovely fragrance are perfect for making a bath extra-luxurious and it’s a fun way to keep enjoying your peonies.
Did you see any crazy, over-the-top peony arrangements this season? We’d love to see ’em!
Photography by Michele Equitz. DIY by The Stemmery for Jojotastic.
Get more DIYs here!
