About Us:
(Click on any photo to see a larger image)
Here at Reath’s Nursery we have been specializing and hybridizing tree and herbaceous peonies since 1961. Our business is based on giving the customer a superior plant in both size and quality. We provide our customers with top quality plants with a strong healthy root system which gives you a larger more floriferous plant in less time and also a plant that is more resistant to stresses such as drought.
The peony and iris varieties we sell are propagated and raised here in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, on our centennial farm, where the cold climate (USDA zone 4) helps us select for plant hardiness. As a family owned and operated nursery we have direct control over all parts of our nursery production which allows us to sell the finest quality plants.
My father David Reath started hybridizing peonies in 1961. He was always very selective in the varieties he named. He insisted that new varieties should be an improvement over what is already available. One of his breeding goals was to improve the herbaceous varieties stem strength and thus make the plant more attractive and carefree in the landscape. His herbaceous varieties stand up without support! He was also a great teacher and I am furthering our breeding work as our my sons (his grandsons). We continue to work with the same goals as well as recently working on improved varieties with fragrance. Peony breeding takes many years to get to marketable plants so I am grateful that my sons find enjoyment in developing new varieties.
The peonies shown on this page are just a few of the herbaceous and tree peonies originated by Dr. David Reath.
For further information you may order by mail, our color/descriptive catalog for $3.00 USD. (Foreign requests please enclose $6.00 USD) Please refer to order catalog page.
