Matthaei Botanical Gardens & Nichols Arboretum at the Univeristy of Michigan

History

The Peony Garden was donated to Nichols Arboretum in 1922 by Dr. W. E. Upjohn, founder of the Upjohn Pharmaceutical Company in Kalamazoo, Michigan. It was designed by former Arboretum director, Aubrey Tealdi, and opened to the public in 1927.

Aubrey Tealdi

Since then it has become a pilgrimage site for Arboretum visitors each spring. Originally, the Peony Garden was laid out to bloom progressively with the western edge near the Washington Heights entrance peaking first. Over time, this bloom progression has been lost due to relocation, loss, and replacement by other peonies. However, many of the original peony plants are still thriving exactly where they were planted almost 90 years ago.

Peony Garden Photo Maps

Bed maps containing photos, names, and locations for each peony beds are a click away (below). We have been working with the collection since these were last updated in early 2008, and we will be updating them through the 2010 bloom season.

Click here to see the PDFs

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These are PDF files of ~500KB in size

Origins

Peonies have been bred all over the world where there are cool-winter climates. They are native to Asia and Europe which were also the first hubs of peony breeding. Later, this interest developed in the United States and Canada. To see the distribution of the national origin of varieties present within the Peony Garden click here.

The Peony Garden is home to historic varieties of peonies that were introduced into gardens throughout the nineteenth and first half of the twentieth century. During this time period, there was a great interest in peony breeding, and the number of peonies in the market boomed. After World War II, interest in peonies declined until it began to reemerge in the 1980s. To see the range of years that our peonies were introduced click here.

Peony breeders constantly attempt to improve the peony by cross-pollinating one peony with another. This results in sturdier plants and different colors, forms, and foliage characteristics. Breeders also try to extend the bloom season by selecting for plants that bloom earlier or later than current varieties. The Peony Garden represents 46 peony breeders. Click here to see how many varieties each of these 46 breeders introduced.

Bloom Information

Peonies bloom at varying times throughout late spring and early summer. The earliest peonies bloom mid-May, followed by the midseason peonies which bloom into June. The latest peonies bloom in mid-June and occasionally continue into July depending on the weather. Click here to see the distribution of bloom time within the Peony Garden.

Traditionally, peonies come in four colors: white, blush, pink, and red. Through modern breeding, a greater range of colors has been achieved including coral, yellow, and patterned peonies. However, due to the historical nature of the Peony Garden, the peonies in this collection are within the traditional color range. To see the color distribution of the peonies click here.

The form of a peony refers to the characteristics of the peony flower.

Click the image on the left to see the different parts of the peony flower.

Single: Similar to the wild form of the peony with five or more guard petals arranged around the carpals and pollen-bearing-stamens of the flower.
Japanese: Five or more guard petals arranged around the carpals and stamens. Stamens are transformed into stamenoids which are similar to stamens in form and color but have a lumpy texture and thicker tissue that prevents them from shedding pollen.
Anemone: The stamens of this flower are transformed into petaloids - small, narrow petals in the center of the flower, surrounded by the outer guard petals. This form resembles a ball being held in a cup or on a saucer.
Semi-double: Five or more outer guard petals with a center of smaller inner petals often decreasing in size as they near the center of the flower. Pollen-bearing stamens may be intermixed with petals or in the center of the flower.
Bomb: The stamens of this flower are transformed into inner petals. These petals are narrower than the guard petals but longer, resulting in a ball-like silhouette resting on the guard petals..
Double: Five or more outer guard petals with a center of stamens and carpals more or less transformed into petals creating the full body of the flower. Some stamens may be interspersed throughout the flower.

To see the distribution of forms within the Peony Garden click here.