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Tens of Thousands Are Making Annual Peony Pilgrimage to University of Michigan's Garden
The free garden’s peak bloom features tens of thousands of flowers from hundreds of historic varieties, and the university expects about 100,000 visitors.
The University of Michigan's W.E. Upjohn Peony Garden, known locally as The Arb, expects 100,000 visitors this spring to behold historic perennials with showy pink, white, and red blooms.
Hundreds of historic 19th and early 20th-century varieties from American, Canadian, and European origins make this one of North America's largest pre-1950 herbaceous peony collections.
Nicole Calvin, who has visited annually for 16 years, said Monday, "I love that they come from different places, and there's different varieties, different colors."
Horticulture lead Doug Conley described the collection as "overwhelming" at peak bloom, with The Arb busing in crowds because visitor demand is so high.
Early mornings and late evenings offer the best fragrance, Conley noted, adding that the free garden provides a "restorative" experience for people to gather and be.