Peonies are aristocratic plants. In China, where they have been an important artistic symbol for centuries, they are called sho yo, or “most beautiful,” connoting riches and honor.
In some areas of America several decades ago, ladies described elegant garden parties as “pearls and peonies.” Dressed in smart frocks and wearing pearl necklaces, these women gathered to delight in the sight of peonies that graced late-spring gardens. Flower specimens wax and wane in popularity, and so it is with peonies. But Michael Hsu is spearheading a revival of the blooms in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. What began as a hobby in celebration of his family’s Chinese heritage is now a flourishing floral wonderland named PeonyLand. In 1998, Michael and his father, C.K., bought a 50-acre farm in Richlandtown. They wanted to grow something unusual, so they selected Chinese peonies. PeonyLand features 20,000 plants imported from China, comprising 450 different varieties of the flower. The spectacular display is open to the public for viewing in May, during the peak blooming period. “Visitors can come and cut blossoms or buy plants in flower,” Michael explains. “We aren’t really trying to sell anything. We do this for fun and fulfillment and to be a resource. Some recall that their mothers or grandmothers had hosted garden parties. Perhaps this will inspire them, too.”
