Peonies, such as these two, are in full bloom in local commercial nurseries:
However, many of the peonies in home gardens here are still tightly budded up, including these taken in yesterday’s rain:
Peonies (usually pronounced “PEE-uh-knees”) are named in honor of Paeon, the Greek god of medicine; and, indeed, their flowers and other parts have been used in Asian medicines and teas for centuries. The flowers also traditionally have been one of the most popular subjects for tattoos in Asia. (Images taken in Blue Hill, Maine, on June 4 [flowers] and Brooklin, Maine, on June 8 [buds], 2022.)