ANN ARBOR – The Nichols Arboretum Peony Garden will celebrate 100 years in June.
Garden staff are planning a wide variety of peony-centric events and have begun their search for volunteers.
Roles include being a garden ambassador, assisting with event coordination and set up and more during peak bloom weekend -- set for June 3.
The garden draws visitors from all over the world each year. It is currently the largest collection of herbaceous peonies dating pre-1950 in North America. These varieties can be found on the main grid of the garden. Other plants include classic to mid-20th-century tree peonies and intersectional (Itoh) peonies which are a hybrid between herbaceous peonies and tree peonies.
In peak bloom, its nearly 800 peonies can display up to 10,000 flowers.
It is a top Ann Arbor destination in the late spring and early summer, and it has become a central part of local life.
“We’ve had the privilege to witness U-M students, alumni, families, community members, and so many others experiencing memories that are deeply rooted in the garden and bloom time, whether that’s a marriage proposal in the garden, graduation photos among the sea of peony colors, or a child toddling near the blooms for the first time,” wrote Peony Garden staff.
Interested in volunteering? You can sign up here.