The Peony Garden at Nichols Arboretum

The Peony Garden was made possible by a donation 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.

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.

The Peony Garden is undergoing a multi-year renovation project to transform the garden into an internationally recognized reference collection that will serve as a conservation model for other historic cultivar collections and a destination for peony lovers. This collection will illustrate the natural and social history of the peony from its wild species, native to Europe and Asia, to the historic cultivars seen here. So, if you see something you don't expect to see in this formal collection, look for a "What's Happening Here?" sign or visit our staff in the Reader Center for more information and project updates!

Generous gifts from our donors -- with special thanks to the Porter Family Foundation and Philip and Kathy Power -- and a grant from the Stanley Smith Horticultural Trust made this phase of the Peony Project possible.