For the past several years, I do my best to visit the Peony Garden at Nichols Arboretum on the campus of the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor to see the blooming historic peonies.
With 27 beds that can contain 30 peony bushes each, exploring the Peony Garden is one of my favorite things to do in the spring. I usually go on a weekday night, when there are less crowds than the weekend.
This year I chose to take an evening stroll through the garden to smell the peonies. While peonies are known for their blooms, many people aren’t aware of the different fragrances peonies have.
The scents can be sweet, citrusy, spicy, or in the case of single and red peonies—no fragrance at all.
Thanks to the volunteers and staff who help care for and maintain the Peony Garden, you can take a tour of the peony beds.
Self-guided laminated peony maps hang on a sign at the entrance to the garden, in front of beds 1 and 2.
I had a lovely time exploring the fragrant peonies, before the evening light disappeared.
The Duchesse de Nemours and Madame Colot, dating back to 1856, reminded me of the perfumes I smelled at church when I was growing up.
The fragrance of several of the Chinese peonies surprised me, they had a scent that reminded me of kitchen spices.
My favorite smelling peony? Mignon, which smelled like roses.
