Peonies in Amsterdam

Peony delivery in Amsterdam: varieties, wedding season and the marshmallow-bud rule

The peony lands perfectly on the Dutch palate. Voluminous, fragrant, luxurious without trying too hard, it matches both the bright Amsterdam wedding aesthetic and the quiet comfort of a canal-side apartment. The Netherlands is one of the world's largest peony exporters, so in season it is not a rarity in Amsterdam but an affordable local flower. It dresses tables at canal-side venues and at country estates outside the city alike.

This category covers single-variety bouquets, mixed compositions with roses and eucalyptus, hat boxes and large baskets for celebrations. In season, supply comes from Dutch fields; off-season, from Chilean and New Zealand farms through the Royal FloraHolland auction — keeping peonies in the catalogue nearly year-round.

Key varieties in the catalogue

Each peony variety has a distinct job — from a wedding arch to a quiet personal gift. They differ in bud form, colour, fragrance and vase longevity.

• Sarah Bernhardt — pale pink fully double bud up to 18 cm across, honey-vanilla fragrance. A classic from 1906 that works in virtually any context: wedding, birthday, business gift.
• Karl Rosenfield — deep crimson, dense bud with a rich colour. Pairs well with the warm, wine-toned interior palettes popular in autumn and winter.
• Festiva Maxima — white with a raspberry fleck at the centre. One of the most photogenic varieties, a favourite with wedding photographers.
• Coral Charm — transitions from coral-orange at opening to soft cream-peach in full bloom. A leading variety of the 2020s.
• Duchesse de Nemours — soft white with a cream centre, light vanilla scent. For understated romance and nude-toned palettes.
• Itoh hybrids (Bartzella, Cora Louise) — a cross of herbaceous and tree peony. Larger flowers, longer bloom, 10–12 days vase life. Suited to premium gifts and wedding decor.

Bud stage and why it matters

The key rule when buying peonies is what florists call the marshmallow stage. A bud that is fully coloured but still soft to the squeeze — press it with your fingers and it gives like a marshmallow. At this stage the peony opens within one to two days and lasts seven to nine days. A hard green bud may not open at all; a fully open bloom will last two to three days at most.

Every batch we send is hand-sorted to this standard: only marshmallow-stage buds go out for delivery. For a recipient in Amsterdam, that means a full bloom cycle, not a view of something already at its end.

Seasonality and logistics

The Netherlands' natural peony season is late May to June. In this short window, Dutch field peonies appear, grown right outside the city, and prices are the best of the year. From July through February, supply shifts to the southern hemisphere (Chile, New Zealand) — prices are 1.5 to 2 times higher, but quality and vase performance hold up.

For weddings and milestone events, we time deliveries to the anticipated bloom moment. A peony at a celebration should greet guests in full flower, not as a closed bud — that takes precise planning. In season the Dutch peony reaches the bouquet almost straight from the field, which makes the timing far easier to get right.

"A peony is not a flower for last-minute orders. In Amsterdam we are lucky: in June it grows literally just outside town — it does not get fresher than that. If you want to make an impression at a wedding, order three to four days ahead and let the bud open in the recipient's home. A freshly delivered closed peony is a promise — and it delivers the next day."

— Anneke Visser, wedding florist, Amsterdam, 15 years in the profession

Delivery specifics in Amsterdam

Amsterdam has a maritime climate: mild damp winters around +2 to +6 °C, moderate summers of +18 to +22 °C, and wind and changeable weather all year. For the peony that is more of a plus — it dislikes heat, and Amsterdam's coolness extends the bloom. In winter, bouquets travel in thermal bags and the wrapping shields them from moisture; in summer, cool packs are rarely needed. The best season for peonies is April through June and September through October.

We deliver peonies across all districts of Amsterdam: Centrum, Jordaan, De Pijp, Oud-Zuid, Oud-West, Oost, Noord, West, Nieuw-West and Zuidoost. Payment is in euros (€, EUR). Peak dates: Moederdag (Mother's Day, the second Sunday of May), Valentijnsdag (14 February), Koningsdag (King's Day, 27 April) and Pasen (Easter). Peonies sell through especially fast around Moederdag — order seven to ten days ahead.

Home care

After delivery, re-cut stems at 45°, strip leaves below the waterline and place in a tall vase with cool water. Change the water every two days. Keep away from fruit, radiators and direct sunlight — ethylene and heat halve the peony's vase life.

Amsterdam flats heat to +20–22 °C in winter, which for a peony means accelerated opening and a shorter cycle. Place the bouquet in the coolest part of the home, ideally near a bedroom window. Fragrant varieties (Sarah Bernhardt, Duchesse de Nemours) open best at a moderate +18 to +20 °C: the scent becomes more distinct and lasting.