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1. When to Visit

   Peony Bloom Season

   Peonies bloom once a year, in the spring. Our bloom countdown page is updated regularly as the season progresses.

   • Tree peonies always bloom...

   May 25, 2016

2. About Peonies

   Wild Species and Ornamental Origins

   Thirty two species of wild peonies are native from the Mediterranean region to eastern Asia, with two species endemic to western North America. The wild peony species are mostly herbaceous perennials, but some Chinese species are woody shrubs, mistakenly but perhaps permanently called 'tree...

   January 20, 2017

3. Peony Resources

   Peonies have been popular garden plants in Europe and North America since the early-1800s and since antiquity in Asia. There is an enormous range of information available. These are resources and links the staff here find most useful.

   September 28, 2012

4. Peony Resources

   Peonies have been popular garden plants in Europe and North America since the early 1800s and since antiquity in Asia. The resources and links provided here are ones staff at the Matthaei - Nichols find useful out of the enormous range of information...

   April 27, 2016

5. Get Involved

   There are many ways to engage with the Peony Garden. An important step is to visit, enjoy, and spread the word. Word-of-mouth is...

   March 11, 2016

6. The Peony Garden Initiative

   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. The Peony Garden will illustrate the natural and social history of the peony...

   April 11, 2017

7. Peony Diseases

   Peonies have relatively few diseases. The most common one is botrytis. An excellent online article on peony diseases with photography can be found at the Canadian Peony Society.

   Lemoine Disease

   ...

   March 11, 2016

8. What's In Bloom

   featured here are marvelous peonies in bloom. this feature is only kept active during bloom season. 

   when the peonies are not in bloom, use this section to see some of the peonies that staff and visitors enjoyed, or past 'winners' in peony popularity contest?

   October 8, 2012

9. Arboretum and Garden Visitor Guides

   Our visitor guides provide an overview of each of our main properties. At each of the properties there are a variety of self-guided tours. For the self-guided tours to the Peony Garden, click here.

   ...

   March 18, 2016

10. Volunteer

    Each year volunteers provide essential help in the Peony Garden. In 2016, volunteers are needed for two kinds of work: Ambassadors and Garden Teams.

    Peony Ambassadors

    Help us show people the wonders of the Peony Garden! Ambassadors will learn about the largest public collection of heirloom herbaceous peony...

    April 19, 2016

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