“I hated roses. I hated them for being so trite, so clichéd, a default, all-purpose flower that said I love you, I’m sorry, and get well soon. Give me peonies and tulips, orchids or gardenia. Those were flowers with character.” ― Justina Chen Headley, North of Beautiful
I had no idea that peonies were so beautiful until we moved to the Northern Hemisphere. It is not just what they look like, but their scent, that wafts across the air on warm summer evenings. I thought all this time that roses were my favorite – but actually, it’s peonies! On our afternoon walks with the dog, there is a fence lined up with all colors of peonies, each scented differently, and it is the highlight of my day. They are amazingly beautiful – full of character, sprouting up from the ground, year after year to yield a belief in summer and all it entails. Grateful that we live here so we can experience them, my life has been made richer!
