Peonies in Bloom -- Nichols Arboretum

One of our favorite outings in late spring is to visit the Nichols Arboretum Peony Garden in Ann Arbor, Michigan, when the peonies are in full bloom.   We visited on June 7 last year (2011) when I took these photos, during the peak bloom, and were treated to a splendid display of hundreds of peony plants in shades of white, pale pinks, brilliant pinks and fuschias, and dark, dark reds.  

The Peony Garden in Nichols Arboretum has the largest collection of antique and heirloom peonies in North America, with over 270 historic cultivated varieties.  There are 27 peony beds, with up to 30 plants per bed.  

Peonies start blooming in the Arboretum sometime in mid-May, and peak in early-mid June depending on the weather.  The Peony Garden, along with the rest of Nichols Arboretum, is open to the public and free for visiting every day of the year from sunrise to sunset.  

The Peony Garden was donated to the Nichols Arboretum, of The University of Michigan, in 1922 by Dr. W.E. Upjohn, of Upjohn Pharmaceuticals (now a part of Pfizer), and opened to the public in 1927.

Originally the peonies were planted in such a way that earlier blooming varieties were nearer the entrance of the garden, and later blooming varieties further away, so there'd be a "wave" of blooms throughout the season from mid-May through mid-June.  Since many of the peony plants have been replaced or relocated, this progression has been minimized, although we can still see it in part.  

Still, a number of the peony plants are thriving in their original location, 90 years later.

Peonies are native to China and other parts of Asia with cool winter climates.  The peonies that are represented in the Arboretum are those that were introduced to North America and Europe in the nineteenth century and early twentieth century.  There was great interest in developing different varieties of peonies during this time until the World War II era, then an upswing in interest again in the 1980s.

Peony colors range from white to light pink or blush, then the darker pinks and reds (as shown in the photos above). More modern breeding programs have produced other colors such as coral and yellow, but the Peony Garden includes only the more traditional colors.    I seem to remember seeing a few of the coral shade blooms in previous years, but not this year.     I'm guessing they were removed to keep the garden colors more in line with the historical shades.

Some of the flowers have a very strong fragrance, while others have a very delicate scent, or none at all.

Peony flower types include single-style flowers (such as the pink peonies, below) and the more familiar double-style flowers (such as the white ones below), and a gradation of styles in between.

The majority of peonies at Nichols Arboretum are double peonies, although my favorites are often the single-type flowers, probably because they are less common.

If you love peonies, plan to visit the Peony Garden during late May or early June.   You'll want to explore other parts of the Arboretum as well.

Nichols Arboretum is near the Central Campus of The University of Michigan, in Ann Arbor, Michigan.  Beside the Peony Garden, the Arboretum is also home to a variety of different natural areas, including:

• Heathdale -- collections of Appalachian plants including rhododendrons and mountain laurels.
• River Landing -- canoe, hike, fish, birdwatch along the Huron River.   
• School Girls' Glen -- native wildflowers along this short, steep trail.
• Alex Dow Field -- a remnant of a prairie environment.
• And....Fairy Woods & Troll Hollow...just beyond the Peony Gardens.