ANN ARBOR—Blooming peonies will herald the warmth of summer during the Nichols Arboretum‘s Peony Garden Party, 2- 5 p.m. June 4.

Free of charge, open to the public and happening whether rain or shine, the party will include refreshments, educational information and gifts available for purchase. “A Peony Guide” will be made available for a nominal fee by the Junior League and Friends of the Arboretum. Hole-in- the-Bog, a unique group of mummers and Morris dancers, will provide the ancient folk music traditions of Ireland and Britain.

The Peony Garden, designed by Aubrey Tealdi, the first director of the Arboretum,was planted in 1922 and officially opened to the public in the spring of 1927. Since that time the Garden has become a popular setting for weddings and graduation events. In recent years, curators have been restoring the Garden to its original design and continue searching for all of the cultivars first planted in the Garden. More than 800 peonies of nearly 230 cultivars, most dating back about 70 years, make the Garden a significant repository for old peony cultivars.

The Peony Garden, located at the Washington Heights entrance to the Arboretum near U-M’s Mary Markley Residence Hall, is part of the 123-acre Nichols Arboretum, founded in 1907 and offering nature walks as well as serving as an educational and research facility for U-M and other southeast Michigan schools. More than 100,000 people visit the grounds each year.

For more information about the Peony Garden, the Arboretum or to RSVP for the party, call (313) 747-0520.