When you ask Marty Star about peonies, his eyes do that thing—soft, slightly proud, definitely in love. It’s not just the flower. It’s the whole journey wrapped into one full, fragrant, ever-changing bloom. And for Marty, it all started with a yellow peony. Here is the story of true floral love from the Director (or, as he names himself, 'Chief Peony Officer') of My Peony Society.
An Inherited Passion for Peonies
It is obvious from whom Marty Star has inherited his passion for peonies. Ernst Star is an esteemed name in the world of peonies. Together with his son Marty and business partner Lennart Paauw, he founded My Peony Society in 2016.
“I was eight,” Marty says, “helping out at my dad’s cash & carry in Vleuten. I got to do the usual—empty buckets, stack trolleys for customers. One day, I noticed this yellow peony. Among all the whites, pinks, and reds, it stood out like a little rebel. I thought it was stunning.”
That moment? It stuck. Especially when well-known florist Menno Kroon asked him which varieties to load onto his trolley. Marty pointed at the yellow one. “Menno complimented my choice. And that did something to me. I felt how much energy flowers—and the business around them—could give me. That feeling never really left.”
Peonies Just Hit Different
It’s hard to put into words what peonies actually do to people, especially those who work with them. But Marty gives it a try:
“There’s something about the way they arrive. As tiny buds. Sometimes so small, you'd think they’re not ready for anything. But inside, there’s all this stored potential. You give them a bit of time, some water, and they bloom into these big, often fragrant, multi-layered heads. Some even change color while they’re opening. It’s like watching nature do a little magic trick.”
That transformation—that build-up—is what sets peonies apart. You’re not just buying a flower in bloom. You’re buying the moment before the bloom. The anticipation is part of the experience.
And for Marty, there’s a metaphor hidden in that process:
“The peony sort of mirrors life. You start small, then you open up. You show your colors, let your scent do its thing. People notice you. Then, eventually, you fade. But while you’re blooming, you give it everything you’ve got. I think that’s kind of beautiful.”
Designed by Nature, Perfected by My Peony Society
At My Peony Society, quality is king. And it shows from the moment their buckets hit the auction floor. They don’t use tags like everyone else. They use collars with the My Peony Society logo on them. “It’s more than a branding thing,” Marty explains. “Collars keep the stems upright, prevent damage, and make sure the flowers don’t get tangled up. It’s functional—and it looks clean.”
But the real work happens before those buckets even leave the greenhouse. “Every single stem is checked by hand,” he says. “We won’t pack a flower that won’t open. That’s just the rule. A peony is meant to bloom—if it doesn’t, we’ve missed the mark. So we’re on it, from the field to the box. That attention to detail is everything.”
The motto they work by—designed by nature, perfected by us—isn’t some marketing line. It’s more like a daily reminder.
Favorites, First Picks, and Fresh Finds
With over a hundred varieties from over thirty partner growers — located mostly in the Netherlands, but also in France, Germany, Spain, Italy, and Poland — in his collection, narrowing it down to a few favorites is tough for Marty. But still, some names come up again and again.
"The Salmon. That one hit me early and hard. The color is soft but never boring. I’ve never fallen out of love with it."
"Colonel Owen Cousins and Brother Chuck are other go-tos—big, generous blooms, strong stems. And Command Performance… that one starts off pretty under-the-radar. Just a regular red bud. But then it explodes into this massive flower, shifting through red, yellow, and even a bit of white. It’s a whole event in one bloom."
Photo by @marijevdpavert.lostinflowers.
He’s also proud of the lesser-known kinds, especially the newer ones. “We’ve got Bridal Gown, Bridal Grace, and Class Act—all thick, reliable white peonies. And Franky Fresh is one I really like—named after the son of one of our growers. That kind of connection makes the work personal. These aren’t just flowers on a spreadsheet. They’ve got stories.”
That mix of established names and quiet newcomers is part of what keeps the My Peony Society catalog fresh. There’s always something new to discover, even for seasoned florists.
Not Just Big in Holland
What started as a personal fascination has grown into a full-scale operation with international reach. My Peony Society is now a name to know, not just in the Netherlands, but across Europe and beyond.
“We’ve grown, definitely,” says Marty. “We’re considered one of the bigger players now. But size isn’t really the point. For us, it’s always been about combining skill with passion. We know our product inside out. We care about how it looks, how it ships, how it opens.”
That kind of reputation takes time to build—and a fair bit of stubbornness.
“We don’t cut corners,” he says. “And we don’t chase trends. We just keep doing what we know works: grow beautiful peonies and get them to people who love working with them.”
For the Love of the Bloom
At the end of the day, all roads lead back to that first yellow peony.
“It still gets me,” Marty says. “That feeling of discovering something beautiful, of being part of that bloom moment—it hasn’t changed. And I don’t want it to.”
With a team that shares that same drive, My Peony Society continues to do what they do best—send carefully grown, lovingly handled peonies out into the world. Into the hands of florists, stylists, wedding designers, and anyone who knows that good flowers speak for themselves.
All images courtesy of My Peony Society, unless otherwise noted.
