Visiting the Peony Garden

The Peony Garden typically begins blooming mid-May and peaks early to mid-June. The peak bloom can vary by 10 days from year to year, depending on the weather. Take a leisurely stroll down the paths to admire the plants in full flower and immerse yourself in the waves of color. Although a few peonies have no fragrance, the vast majority have a range of scents from delicate to bold. Take time to smell the flowers, and savor a favorite. For the full story of this magnificent garden, and about the Peony Project, a multi-year renovation to transform it into an internationally recognized destination, reference collection, and conservation model for other historic cultivar collections visit the links to the left.

If you would like to help support the Peony Garden, please contact our directory of development, Gayle Steiner: gayles@umich.edu; 734.647.7847.

• Nichols Arboretum

Nichols Arboretum is located adjacent to U-M's Central Campus in Ann Arbor.
James D. Reader, Jr. Urban Environmental Education Center at the Burnham House
1610 Washington Hts.
Ann Arbor, MI 48104
734-647-7600
Click here for a map

Interactive Directions to Nichols Arboretum
(powered by Google Maps)

Starting point:
	(e.g. your address, "Ypsi", "Eiffel Tower", etc.)

By car: From I-94, take US-23 North, exit at Washtenaw Avenue, west, turn right onto Observatory St., then right onto Washington Heights.
Important note: While limited metered parking is available along Washington Hts. and Observatory St., several other parking options exist, including hospital parking structures and surface lots. Click here for a printable PDF of parking options.

By bus: We encourage Arb visitors to take advantage year round of the Ann Arbor and U-M bus systems, particularly on weekdays when parking near the Arb is limited (parking is available in the Washington Hts. U-M blue lot on weekends and after 5pm weekdays). Nichols Arboretum is served by The Ride (AATA). The #1U, #4, #9U, #12UM, #12UL, and #14 buses all stop at Mott Hospital on East Medical Center Drive near the Washington Heights entrance of the Arb. The #2 also has a stop at the main hospital entrance, and the #4 bus stops on Washington Hts. across from the U-M School of Public Health. After exiting the bus at the Mott Hospital bus stop on E. Medical Center Dr., cross the street and go left down the hill to Washington Hts. Turn right on Washington Hts; the Arb entrance is a few steps further on the left. If exiting the #4 bus on Washington Hts., proceed down the hill to the Arb entrance.

Please check visit the Ride for maps and schedules as routes do change. The Arboretum's Washington Hts. entrance is across from the University of Michigan medical campus and is served by the U-M bus system via teh Commuter Northbound and Southbound and the UMHS Intercampus. You can review the U-M bus routes on the U-M Parking and Transportation Services website.

On foot: Pedestrians from both the U-M Hospital and U-M Central Campus can reach the Arboretum's Washington Heights entrance by using the sidewalks along East Medical Center Drive. The Geddes Avenue entrance across from Oxford Housing is readily accessible on foot. Important note: Campus construction has closed some Central Campus streets for summer 2010; however, most pedestrian routes to the Arb are still open. Click here for a campus construction map. While North University will be closed between Fletcher and Church streets, both pedestrian bridges over Washtenaw are still open.