Peony Peak Bloom
The backyard of one of our dearest friends holds the most amazing collection of peonies- known to the public as Peony’s Envy. Her home is surrounded by thousands of flowers – red, orange, coral, yellow, white, blush pink, dark pink, pale pink – peonies thriving in the dappled shade of towering oaks. Her gardens are the inspiration for this collection, and they’re also where we picked the branches, seeds, petals and buds to create these castings. The peony is the organic form we’ve worked with most extensively, and we love that our collection contains elements of peony at so many stages of life, from seed, to bud, to petal, to branch, and back again.
Our friendship with Kathleen began at a holiday sale - she was there to sell her plants and spark interest in her garden, and we were there selling organic jewelry - the first beginnings of our core collection of jewelry pieces. Pinecone earrings, sea fan necklaces, and the beginnings of how we shared our work with the world. Kathleen asked if we would be willing to make a jewelry collection just for Peony's Envy. She envisioned small pink pearls interrupted by little flowers, unclear of what else was possible. Sure, we can make that - but it isn't really why you'd choose Merzatta. I offered to come to her garden and see what inspiration might strike.
The first visit to the garden was in the winter - no flowers, but dried stems, dried seedpods, and dried seeds were in abundance. Those speak more our language really - the neutrals tones of pinecones, the lively lifelessness of dried botanicals.
We collected bits and pieces of the garden and told Kathleen we'd get back to her. Within the next months, the Peony Collection - with it's branches, seeds, and petal textures were born.
We began our weekly visits to Peony's Envy when our daughter was much shorter than the flowers - we would pop in to the garden during the bloom the way that some kids find themselves rhythmically at the playground. The garden calls in this slow starting symphony, with the tree peonies chiming in first. It's a magical, wonderful place and each year we take photographs as though we've never seen a peony so beautiful.
Shown here are some choice pieces from the Peony Peak Bloom Collection.
Ruby and Cluster Petal Drop Earrings.
The bottom stones are incredible rose cut rubies, with strong color but still translucent. The tops are made from balanced combinations of sapphire and ruby and drop from white gold lever back wires. A favorite pair of earrings for the garden!
Peony Branch Dangle Silver Post Earrings.
we love that our collection contains elements of peony at so many stages of life, from seed, to bud, to petal, to branch, and back again.
Classic Diamond Slice Necklaces, this ruby is fixed onto a 14k gold cable chain.
Three tourmalines in garden bloom colors!