Peony Season 2025
The herbaceous peonies usually bloom in full splendor from Memorial Day until mid-June. Starting in late March, we will provide regular updates on their progress. Follow along below to watch their journey unfold!
June 21, 2025
With the last petals falling and summer unfolding around us, Peony Season 2025 has come to a close.
Thank you to everyone who visited, wandered, and celebrated this brief but beloved bloom with us. Though the peonies have faded, the Arboretum is alive with new sights, scents, and stories. Come back anytime, there’s always something growing, changing, and waiting to be discovered. And when next spring arrives, the peonies will be here to greet us once again.
June 17, 2025
We are in the final days of the peony bloom. Many of the flowers are losing petals, and with the heavy rain forecasted, it is likely even more will drop.
Photo: Andy Traugh
June 13, 2025
While we still have a stunning bloom-filled garden, signs that the peak has passed are evident. Some of the flowers are losing petals, and others are starting to bend and droop a little.
Peony season is short and sweet, and a heavy rain could bring it to an abrupt close. If you’ve been meaning to visit, now’s the time. We invite you to soak it in while you can!
Photo: Michele Yanga
June 10, 2025
The peonies are thriving in this stretch of mild temperatures and sunshine and the blooms are still looking stunning! Most of the buds have opened, so we’re at or just past peak bloom. From here on out, it’s a bit of a guessing game: a heavy rain could bring petals down, and a hot spell might cause the blooms to wilt. For now, we recommend coming out to enjoy them while they’re still putting on a show!
June 6, 2025
The peonies are putting on a spectacular show! While the recent rain left some of the blooms looking a bit droopy, many are bouncing back beautifully as the day warms up. The north side of the garden has made a remarkable recovery and is filling in again beautifully. If you’ve been waiting for the right moment, this weekend is a perfect time to visit!
Photos: Emily Werner
June 2, 2025
While the damage over the weekend was difficult to witness, it was limited to a single side of the garden. About two-thirds of the peony blooms remain, and they are as stunning as ever. With this week’s warm temperatures and sunshine, many of the remaining buds are beginning to open, helping to fill in the garden with fresh color and fragrance.
If you’re planning a visit, this weekend will be a wonderful time to come out.
June 1, 2025
In the early hours of June 1, a portion of the W.E. Upjohn Peony Garden was intentionally damaged. Hundreds of peony blooms were cut and left behind. While this act was deeply disheartening, only one side was damaged. The other side of the garden remains in bloom.
May 30, 2025
We're at about 55% bloom in the peony garden, and more flowers are opening by the hour! The sunshine and warmth are giving the blooms exactly what they need, and it shows.
This weekend is shaping up to be one of the best times to visit! Come out, take in the color and fragrance, and enjoy this historic garden at its peak!
Photos: Michele Yanga
May 27, 2025
Last weekend’s warm, sunny weather gave the peonies the boost they needed, and the blooms are officially underway! We’re currently seeing about 15% of the flowers open, with more unfolding by the hour. If conditions hold, we anticipate peak bloom to arrive this weekend.
Now’s a great time to start planning your visit!
May 23, 2025
Right now, about 5% of the garden is in bloom. There are peonies to see, but blooms are still scattered in pockets across the garden. Thanks to the cool weather, our tree peonies are still going strong - they are simply stunning, and it's exciting that they have lasted this long!
The herbaceous peonies are about a week away from peak bloom, but that timing is very weather-dependent. If the chilly, overcast days persist, expect a bit of a delay. On the flip side, a few sunny, warm days could move things along quickly, as many buds are just about ready to burst open!
Photos: Michele Yanga
May 19, 2025
Cool temperatures and overcast skies have slowed this year’s bloom. We're currently seeing about 2–3% of our herbaceous peonies in bloom, with many buds waiting for the right weather to burst open.
Tree peonies are still putting on a show, and a few early herbaceous varieties have started to bloom—but the main event is still to come. If the forecast holds, we anticipate peak bloom in 7–10 days. As always, this is weather-dependent, so stay tuned for more updates.
Photo: Michele Yanga
May 12, 2025
The tree peonies are putting on a show! Right now, these early bloomers are at their peak. If you want to catch them, this is the week to visit.
As for the anticipated mass bloom of herbaceous peonies, that’s still a few weeks away. A few early buds are popping, but most are still waiting for their moment. Stay tuned!
Photos: Michele Yanga
May 9, 2025
We currently have two herbaceous peony plants in bloom, but the mass bloom is still several weeks away. We expect peak bloom for the herbaceous peonies to arrive sometime around Memorial Day weekend, though this is very weather-dependent.
In the meantime, the tree peonies are just getting started. A few have already opened, and we anticipate their peak bloom will come in about a week.
Photos: Michele Yanga
May 7, 2025
It’s official, our first bloom is here! Roselette from bed 13 just couldn’t wait and is the early bird of the season!
Despite Roselette's early bloom, we still expect peak bloom to be several weeks away.
May 2, 2025
The herbaceous peonies are soaking up the warm spring sun, with several pushing out large buds. While a few plants are showing signs of blooming soon, peak bloom is still a few weeks away.
The tree peonies, always the first to bloom, are on the verge of opening and are likely to start showing their color in the next week.
Photos: Michele Yanga
April 21, 2025
There was a pretty big jump in growth from last week to this week! Some of the plants have small, tight buds formed.
Photos: Michele Yanga
April 14, 2025
Despite last week’s snow, the peonies are doing just fine. They’re continuing their slow and steady growth, with sturdy stems now reaching about 4–5 inches tall. We don't expect any buds for a while yet, just a patient march toward bloom season.
Photos: Michele Yanga
March 27, 2025
It may not look like much, but these little red shoots are the start of Peony Season 2025!
Photo: Eve Zikmund-Fisher