Over 100 Years of Peonies Cut Down in Ann Arbor Garden

Every year, thousands flock to Holland for Tulip Time to witness the beautiful flowers and enjoy the festivities surrounding the event. On the east side of the state in Ann Arbor, there is a similar celebration of a staple flower at Nichols Arboretum: peonies. For over 100 years, the W.E. Upjohn Peony Garden has welcomed guests every spring to view garden beds of peonies and other flowers that have been carefully cultivated for hundreds of years.

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At its peak, over 10,000 flowers are in bloom, offering visitors a sense of peace and awe. Which is why news that the garden has been senselessly vandalized has come as a shock to many in Ann Arbor, with hundreds of the peonies left ravaged early Sunday morning.

W.E. Upjohn Peony Garden

Since its founding in the early 1920s, the Peony Garden at the Nichols Arboretum has been a source of meticulous pride for those involved. Dr. W.E. Upjohn, for whom the garden was renamed in 2022 in honor of his contributions, donated a significant portion of his private collection of peonies to help establish the garden and played a key role in its cultivation.

Despite challenges, the garden has thrived since then, with many of the plants still in their original spots where they were planted. To date, 27 different garden beds are supporting over 800 peonies and over 10,000 flowers at peak bloom.

READ MORE: The Importance of Milkweed for Monarch Butterflies in Michigan |

Why was the Peony Garden Vandalized?

Early Sunday morning, guests to the peony garden were shocked to find hundreds of the carefully cultivated flowers lying on the ground, seemingly cut from their stems.

No one has stepped forward as the vandals, nor has anyone been identified or held responsible. It seems that the peonies were cut as a form of protest against the conflict in Gaza. Numerous white signs were left behind comparing statistics between visitors to the garden and lives lost.

"Don't waste your tears on the peonies. They are not even dead and will grow again next spring."

The move has not been well-received by many people. One person wrote on Instagram, "The Arb is such a treasure and a visit to the peony garden is an annual tradition for so many...how does this evoke support for Gaza?" while others on Reddit are demanding the perpetrators come forward.

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The Nichols Arboretum is open seven days a week and has free admission. The peonies are in bloom from late May to early June.