PEONY GARDENS

ABOUT THE PEONY GARDENS

Started in the 1970s by Fred Leimkuhler, the Library’s first Head of Grounds, the Peony Gardens now contain more than 70 tree peonies of approximately 65 varieties.

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Linda Hall Library arboretum peony gardens

Peony Gardens Collection

Japanese Cornel Dogwood
10-5-1

Cornus officinalis

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Japanese Cornel Dogwood
10-5-2

Cornus officinalis

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Japanese Maple
1-35-2

Acer palmatum var. dissectum

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Japanese Maple
1-35-3

Acer palmatum var. dissectum

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Japanese Maple
1-35-4

Acer palmatum var. dissectum

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Silver Pendent Linden
41-3-1

More About the Peony Gardens

Tree peonies are not really “trees” but are deciduous shrubs and can grow up to 8-10 feet tall in their native habitat in China.
In the United States, they will grow in zones 4-8 (Kansas City, Missouri, where the Linda Hall Library is located, is zone 6), requiring some winter weather in order to bloom.
The best time to visit the Peony Gardens is around the third week of April, though this can vary depending on how warm or cool the spring weather is.

Tree Peonies, A History

One of the earliest accounts of tree peonies was written by Ou-yang Hisu (1007-1072) and is titled “Record of the Tree Peonies of Loyang.” In this account, Hisu says, “as for the tree peony, this has no name but is merely referred to as ‘flower,’ meaning that in the empire, the tree peony is the only true flower.” This record included names and descriptions of twenty-three cultivars about which Hisu says, “… I now record only the most outstanding varieties, and rank them in order.”