About the Garden
Peony Viruses: what we know and why it matters
by Drs. Nastassia Vlasava and David Michener Plant viruses 101 Just like humans, plants have a range of viral relationships and diseases. Plant viruses are ultra-small (less than 200 millimicron) RNA or DNA-based entities and they usually can survive only in...
Season and Color
Season and ColorSeason Herbaceous peonies bloom at varying times throughout late spring and early summer. The earliest begin blooming in mid-May. The bloom is usually finished by the Summer Solstice, however on a particularly cool year blooms may continue into early...
Floral Forms
Peony Floral Forms Due to millennia of human selection, peonies today come in a broad range of colors, forms, and fragrances. Wild peonies also come in a variety of colors, but are generally simpler-looking and are considered to have a “single” floral form. The...
Peony History
Peony History Today peonies are bred for their extravagant beauty, but the wild, simple-flowered peonies native to China were originally domesticated for their medicinal properties over two thousand years ago. Both herbaceous and tree peonies were used to treat a...
Care Calendar
Care Calendar Spring Potted peonies are available in the springtime. Plant immediately. Remove any stems showing symptoms of botrytis and throw away - do not compost! Botrytis can live in the soil and spread to other areas of the garden. Stake your...
Care FAQs
There are a number of reasons why an herbaceous peony won’t bloom: Too young-- peony plants can sometimes take up to 3 or 4 years to produce reliable blooms Dividing-- a recently divided plant can take longer to produce blooms Poor nutrition-- peonies are heavy...
Dividing Peonies
Dividing Your Herbaceous Peonies As you enjoy the peony garden in bloom, be aware that fall is the perfect time to plant bare-root peonies and divide or transplant peonies. “Fall is the perfect time because transplanting peonies in the summer causes a lot of...
Diseases
Diseases This peony garden is a research center - and the long-term disease susceptibility is important to track. By contrast, home gardeners may wish to be much more aggressive when it is appropriate. Botrytis After a particularly rainy year, peonies can...
Resources
Resources Curious about how to grow peonies yourself? Visit the American Peony Society via the links below to learn more! Peony Vendors Find a list of peony vendors in the U.S., Canada, and overseas Growing Peonies General Care: About the Peonies...
Peony Garden FAQs
Peony Garden FAQs We do not sell divisions of our plants. We do, however, hold an annual peony sale in the spring where you can purchase some of the same cultivars displayed in the Peony Garden. Watch for our e-newsletters or check the MBGBNA website for more...
Public Peony Gardens – Current and Lost to Time
Public Peony Gardens - Current and Lost to TimeJump to: Overview / A beloved destination / A definitive reference collection / A conservation model based on new methodsCurrent GardensThe American Peony Society maintains an up-to-date world-wide list of public...
Worldwide Connections
Worldwide ConnectionsJump to: Overview / The China Connection / The Japan Connection / The Korean ConnectionA painting of peonies by Chinese artist Yun Shouping, Qing Dynasty. Public domain.UM Asian ConnectionsPeonies are culturally important across the arts and...
American Peony Society
American Peony Society Statement The American Peony Society and this Peony Garden have a deep relationship that began in the 1920s. Indeed, the APS was founded in Detroit, Michigan in 1903, and by 1923, Dr. W.E. Upjohn was the society’s Treasurer. In 1928 the Regents...
Beauty and Significance – the PCN Plant Consortium
Beauty and Significance - the PCN Plant Consortium Jump to: Overview / A beloved destination / A definitive reference collection / A conservation model based on new methods The Peony Garden at the Nichols Arboretum is simultaneously three things: a beloved...
Research
Research Jump to: An Unrivaled Garden / Areas of Focus / History of Herbaceous Peony Domestication / Research Projects The peony garden is an unrivaled, unique, contemporary and long-term research structure on the world stage. There are three reasons for this. ...
Peony Garden History & Future
Jump to: The Beginning / Creating the Peony Garden / Rejuvenating the Peony Garden Peony Garden First Century The Beginning See the ‘Lost Gardens’ of Public Peony Gardens in this web siteIn the early 20th...