Leslie, I hope you can harvest a bunch of the buds in "soft marshmallow stage" They last longer in a vase that way. In fact you can delay opening by storing them in the fridge, and stage them in your vases bringing a few out at a time.
I have gotten so that I always harvest my "Vivid Rose" that way because its perfume is so wonderful in the house. It sits in back of another peony and so the blooms get hidden and unappreciated if I leave them on the plant. Open this on the plant's database page to see the full photo.
