MAPS and The Scott Arboretum

The Scott Arboretum, which is on the grounds of Swarthmore College in Swarthmore, PA has collaborated with MAPS since the inception of the society.

The arboretum has a long history with peonies and influential peony people. Its namesake, Arthur Hoyt Scott, was a wealthy local businessman and horticulturist. He was one of the founders of the American Peony Society. His large collection, and the endowment in his name and his wife Edith Wilder Scott’s name, has enabled peonies to be enjoyed by many generations to come. John C. Wister was the director of the Scott Arboretum for more than 50 years. He is one of the most highly honored horticulturists in US history. His book The Peonies is considered the epitome of peony handbooks. Thanks to these men and the team that continues their mission, the Scott Arboretum remains a year round public resource of horticultural excellence.

MAPS would like to thank the Scott Arboretum for hosting many of our events, ongoing collaboration and sponsoring peony education throughout the region.

We encourage everyone to visit the Scott Arboretum, especially in May when the peonies are blooming. The Arboretum hosts a very large collection of woody (tree) peonies, with the majority of the collection consisting of the hybrids created by A.P. Saunders. They are usually at the peak of flowering in early May. There is no charge for admission and the grounds of the College are open from sunup to sundown year-round.

Scott Arboretum Website

Scott Arboretum Location on Google Maps