Lay Your Eyes on the Tree Peonies While You Can at Naumkeag
A two-day garden event built around one of spring's most fleeting blooms
May 16–17, 10am–4pm | Stockbridge, MA
Naumkeag's tree peonies bloom for only a few days each spring, and the Trustees of Reservations marks the occasion with a dedicated weekend on May 16 and 17.
Tree peonies are a different animal from the herbaceous peonies most gardeners are used to. Woody-stemmed and long-lived, they can grow to shrub size and produce flowers up to a foot across in shades from white and blush to deep burgundy and near-black.
The bloom window is notoriously short, which is what makes an event like this worth putting on the calendar. The Trustees note, reasonably, that they can't guarantee bloom quality or quantity.
Admission is priced per carload—$10 for members, $20 for non-members—and covers access to the full garden grounds, from the Blue Steps to the sweeping terraces and garden rooms across the property.
A separate Tea with the Tree Peonies event is also running on site both days, ticketed and sold separately.
Naumkeag, 5 Prospect Hill Rd., Stockbridge, MA. Tickets at thetrustees.org.
Written by
After a decade of writing for RI (along with many other publications and organizations) Jamie took over as editor in 2025. He has a masters in journalism from NYU, a wonderful wife, two kids and a Carolina dog named Zelda.
