Hello and thank you for visiting Waggish Writer.
This blog post is the kick off post of what will be known as the "Waggish Writer Writes" series.
I have a slight background in Journalism from classes in high school and college. My first professional experience had been with the Washtenaw Voice during my gap year. Therefore, my blog posts will structure themselves to be newspaper-standard pieces to APA standards.
Without further ado, I present:
WW Gives a Virtual Tour of the Arb's Peony Garden
Ann Arbor caters to the tourists, the students, the city folk, and the history buffs. The city also caters to the nature lovers with several gardens open to the public.
Located on Observatory Street and Geddes Avenue, the Nichols Arboretum hosts a peony garden. Peonies, according to Garden Design, bloom in April, May, and June.
A gentleman strolls forward on the path between the peony bushes at the Nichols Arboretum. - Erin Fedeson
In the past, the gardens are a highlight with many visitors strolling among the peony beds or picnicking on the hillside overlooking the peonies. Visitors can directly access the Peony Garden from the Washington Height entrance by the U-M Hospital, according to the Matthei Botanical Gardens and Nichols Arboretum website.
Due to COVID-19, the University of Michigan placed signage to encourage visitors to visit next year to avoid over-exposure of individuals.
University of Michigan advise visitors to visit next year to avoid overcrowded by the entrance to the Peony Garden in the Nichols Arboretum. - Erin Fedeson
Visiting the peonies depend on the time of day. On June 4, 2020 overcast skies seem to dissuade most visitors.
A handful of individuals stroll down the center path with signage off to the side that encourage runners to use the bypass.
This request to the runners leaves the center path open for visitors who wish to stroll and admire the peonies as the flowers approach the end of their blooming period that is in June.
An artist applies pastels to canvas to capture the gardens' beauty with an umbrella shading her work area. - Erin Fedeson
At the entrance to the peony beds are a description of the gardens, created by the Matthaei Botanical Gardens and Nichols Arboretum, that had been started back in 1922 by the Arb's first director, Aubrey Tealdi.
Signage at the peony bed entrance describing their history and plans for expanding the peony gardens and the nearby Laurel Ridge. - Erin Fedeson
Since then, the gardens have grown to include Laurel Ridge, a hill path that hosts rhododendron and additional types of peonies.
Below is a slideshow of the peonies to capture their variety and beauty the Nichols Arboretum proudly host in the main peony beds.
Slideshow of the peonies that consist of wide and up-close shots of the various peonies at the Nicolas Arboretum's Peony Garden. - Erin Fedeson
While the overcast skies provide a limited amount of traffic to the peonies and excellent photography weather, mosquitoes are drawn to the cloudy weather. Wear bug repellent.
Disclaimer: It has been some time that I have written specifically for a newspaper. I acknowledge that I may have not written specifically to APA style. Therefore, if you spot a glaring error, leave a comment below to let me know, and I will fix it.
Otherwise, if you enjoyed what you read and seen in the blog post, leave a comment below letting me know if you have visited the Peony Garden or will make plans to when the world has return to normal or share a spot you think is worth visiting in the Ann Arbor area. I am up for adventures and excuses to take pictures!
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This is Waggish Writer signing off of this post. Stay tune for more from the "Waggish Writer Writes" series!