Early in the morning on June 1, staff at the Nichols Arboretum in Ann Arbor, Michigan discovered thousands of peonies cut and left on the ground, according to an Instagram post by the Arboretum.
“These peonies are not just plants, they are living beings. They’ve been nurtured over generations and bring joy, community, and connection to the natural world for so many people every season,” Tony Kolenic, Director of Matthaei Botanical Gardens and Nichols Arboretum, said in the Instagram video.
Kolenic emphasized that the garden will keep honoring the garden in spite of this act of vandalism.
“What happened here was an act of disregard not just for the garden, but for the community that cherishes it, even for life itself,” Kolenic said. “And yet, this resilient garden endures. The roots remain strong, and the garden will bloom again. And we will continue to honor this space and all that it means to those who find peace and joy here.”
The University of Michigan Department of Public Safety and Security reported about 250 peony plants on the north side of the garden had the majority of their flowers cut off and several papers were found near the cut flowers.
The papers found by the cut flowers read “PLANT LIVES DON’T MATTER. HUMAN LIVES DO.” and discussed Israel’s ongoing offensive attacks in Gaza, calling on readers to show their support for Palestine and to “Resist Imperialism.”
Investigators say no groups or organizations have taken responsibility for the vandalism. DPSS is currently investigating this incident, but no suspects have been identified.
Now, a day after the vandalism, the garden’s visitors have arranged the cut flowers into hearts and spelled out “HOPE”. The garden also now has a sign explaining what happened to the peony flowers.
