The Nichols Arboretum Peony Garden presents a stunning spring display, with more than 270 historic varieties (cultivars) from the 19th and early 20th centuries. These specimens represent many of the important American, Canadian, and European herbaceous peonies of the era. More than half are no longer commercially available. (Image: Michigan Photography.)

An urban myth says there is a peak day when all the peonies are in bloom. Not so, say the experts at U-M. But, there is a peak season. As of Friday, June 3, the garden was at 85-90 percent. (Image: Michigan Photography.)

In 1922 the U-M Regents appropriated $2,000 to establish the Peony Garden at the Nichols Arboretum. Dr. W.E. Upjohn (Class of 1875) was offering a critically evaluated and large collection of herbaceous peonies from his own extensive collection, as well as exceptional selections from nationally recognized experts. (Image: Lars Miller.)

Aubrey Tealdi, the Arboretum’s director at the time of the Upjohn gift, designed and planted the original formal garden of herbaceous peonies. After several years of preparation, the garden opened to the public in 1927. These fragrant spring beauties are arranged in 27 beds with each full bed containing 30 peonies. When filled to capacity the garden holds nearly 800 peonies and up to 10,000 flowers at peak bloom. (Image courtesy of Matthaei Botanical Gardens & Nichols Arboretum.)

At its opening to the public in 1927, the Peony Garden contained 280 different cultivars, and over the next five years, another 38 were added. Of these original 318 cultivars, 196 still remain, making the Arb a significant repository of old peony cultivars. (Image: Michigan Photography.)

There is no obvious planting concept to the beds, at least not as far as the historical inventory maps are concerned. However, many of the original peony plants are still thriving exactly where they were planted in 1922-27 at the inception of the Peony Garden. (Image: Michigan Photography.)

The Peony Garden Initiative is a multi-year renovation project to transform the Nichols Arboretum Peony Garden into an internationally recognized reference collection, a conservation model for other historic cultivar collections, and a destination for peony lovers. (Image courtesy of Matthaei Botanical Garden & Nichols Arboretum.)

Nearly all the herbaceous peony cultivars in the garden have had their identity confirmed by peony and historic plant experts. Now growers, enthusiasts, and the public have a reference collection of correctly named historic peony cultivars. In addition, the Peony Database links these plants to the historic records published by the American Peony Society, other period references, and catalogs. (Image: Michele Yanga.)

Peonies are culturally important across the arts and sciences in China, Japan, and Korea. Each culture adds distinctive contributions to the history of peonies in human civilization. The goal of the garden is to create a vibrant living collection and academic resource that will educate the public and the academy about the origins and uses of peonies and their importance in diverse cultures across the millennia. (Image: Lars Miller.)

In June 2009, the Peony Garden at Nichols Arboretum became the founding garden in the Peony Consortium through the North American Plant Collections Network (PCN). In February 2013, the Peony Garden was awarded Full Status Accreditation in the PCN. To assist with the Peony Garden Initiative, Matthaei Botanical Gardens & Nichols Arboretum created the Peony Advisory Board, comprised of international peony experts and enthusiasts. (Image: Michigan Photography.)