Latest news with #UniversityofMichiganDivisionofPublicSafetyandSecurity
USA Today
5 days ago
- General
- USA Today
Hundreds of peonies vandalized at botanical Michigan garden
Hundreds of peonies vandalized at botanical Michigan garden Pro-Palestinian signs left amid the destruction at University of Michigan's botanical garden read in part: "Plant lives don't matter. Human lives do." Show Caption Hide Caption Blooming peonies destroyed at University of Michigan garden Peony plants were damaged in what is believed to have been a protest against the violence in Gaza and the University of Michigan's refusal to divest from Israel. Fox - 2 Detroit Hundreds of peonies were vandalized and pro-Palestinian signs were left behind at the University of Michigan's botanical gardens, officials said. The peonies were cut on May 31 in what was described as a malicious destruction of property at the Matthaei Botanical Gardens and Nichols Arboretum in Ann Arbor, the University of Michigan Division of Public Safety and Security said. "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," gardens director Tony Kolenic said in a Facebook post the morning of June 1 from the W.E. Upjohn Peony Garden. About 250 peony plants – or approximately one-third of the peony plants on the north side of the garden – were discovered with most of their flowers cut off at about 6:14 a.m. on June 1. In addition to the flowers, about 100 paper signs were left throughout the area. No group or organization has taken credit for the incident, according to the division of public safety. The signs read, in part: "Plant lives don't matter. Human lives do." "Palestinian lives deserve to be cared for more than these flowers. Don't waste your tears on the peonies. They are not even dead and will grow again next spring," the signs read. The vandalism came just hours after a Facebook post from the Matthaei Botanical Gardens page that said "The peonies are looking great this morning" and that many of them were expected to bloom over the weekend. "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 in his Sunday message. The incident is being investigated by the University of Michigan's Division of Public Safety and Security, which asked for tips from the public. "Make no mistake, the criminal tactics used in the recent act of vandalism at Nichols Arboretum are wholly unacceptable. We unequivocally condemn the destruction of property and any act of vandalism on our campus. Damaging a beloved community space intended to foster reflection and bring hope to the whole community is counter productive. We urge all community members to channel their voices through constructive and meaningful dialogue," said Kay Jarvis, Director of Public Affairs, in a written statement. The Matthaei Botanical Gardens, established in 1907, encompasses more than 300 acres of diverse landscapes, including eleven outdoor gardens, a 10,000+ square-foot conservatory with numerous plant collections and nearly 3 miles of nature trails. Vandalism comes after months of tensions on campus The flyers left behind at the botanical gardens called for visitors to advocate for Palestinians amid the Israel-Hamas war that started after the Oct. 7, 2023 attack by Hamas forces on Israel that killed about 1,200 people. Since then, over 54,000 Palestinians have been killed in the siege on Gaza, Hamas-run health authorities have said. "Stop the war. Resist imperialism," the flyers said. Amid escalating tensions throughout the United States in reaction to the conflict, college campuses including at Ann Arbor have faced student protests and counterprotests. Earlier this year, a pro-Palestinian group on campus was suspended for two years after the school said it violated policies by protesting outside the home of a university regent and demonstrated during a popular student event, the Detroit Free Press, part of the USA TODAY Network, reported. The suspension furthered a tumultuous relationship between university officials and student activists, the Free Press reported. In May 2024, a commencement ceremony was also disrupted by protesters advocating for Palestinians, the Free Press reported. The campus was one of dozens around the country where students set up encampments as part of their protests. Contributing: Reuters
San Francisco Chronicle
6 days ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
Bustling crowds and bus rides are part of the annual peony pilgrimage to Michigan
ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) — It's time to peek at the peak peonies. Visitors are making the annual pilgrimage to the University of Michigan this week to see -- and smell -- one of the world's premier collections of the garden plant, featuring showy red, white and pink blooms of countless shades and varieties. Melanie Millar and her friends visited the Ann Arbor school's Nichols Arboretum on Monday to take some graduation photos. The 18-year-old Millar is set to graduate from a Detroit-area high school in a matter of days. 'I'm here with my best friends — a bunch of girls. … We just came here to get pictures since it's going to be a nice day, and the Peony Garden seemed like a nice place to go to,' Millar said. The W.E. Upjohn Peony Garden features the largest collection of historic — pre-1950 — herbaceous peonies in North America, 'and likely the world,' curator David Michener said. 'Once you come here to the Peony Garden, you'll be mesmerized, and you'll understand why people love peonies,' he said. 'The fragrances, the colors, the forms, it's just intoxicating.' The peony watch is a spectator sport with tens of thousands of visitors arriving at The Arb each spring to behold the unique perennials -- so many that visitors have to be bused in. But there was a somber mood among some Monday. Vandals cut off the blooms of roughly 250 peonies a day earlier, the University of Michigan Division of Public Safety and Security said in a statement. Although no group or organization has taken credit for vandalizing the garden, some papers were left behind, DPSS said. One referenced the war in Gaza, saying: 'Palestinian lives deserve to be cared for. More than these flowers.' 'What would possess someone just to destroy nature and the beauty of it? It's just unfathomable,' visitor Linda J.K. Klenczar said Monday. 'There's no explanation. I don't know if they're going to catch someone who did this. They need to explain themselves.' It's a moving target each year as to when the peonies will reach peak bloom. And one of great interest – with scores of peony-watchers glued to the Arb's Instagram page for updates. 'What makes it so challenging to predict is they pay no attention to the calendar,' Michener said. 'They're driven totally by day and night temperatures.' The campus Peony Garden contains more than 300 historic cultivated varieties from the 19th and early 20th centuries, representing American, Canadian and European peonies of the era. The garden typically features up to 10,000 flowers at peak bloom. Their colorful blossoms draw admirers from Michigan and beyond, but the peonies' beauty is not their primary function. The garden is designed as a support mechanism for academia -- to be a research collection for students and faculty to explore genomics and social issues. Michener and his colleagues at Matthaei Botanical Gardens and Nichols Arboretum work closely with their sister garden in Minsk, the Central Botanical Garden of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, trying to understand how ornamental peonies are related to each other and the wild, ancestral species. Michigan's Peony Garden is free to visit and open from sunrise to sunset. For those drawn to the ancient plant's scent, Michener said it's best to show up earlier in the day or later in the evening, when the fragrances are the best.
Hamilton Spectator
6 days ago
- Hamilton Spectator
Bustling crowds and bus rides are part of the annual peony pilgrimage to Michigan
ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) — It's time to peek at the peak peonies. Visitors are making the annual pilgrimage to the University of Michigan this week to see — and smell — one of the world's premier collections of the garden plant, featuring showy red, white and pink blooms of countless shades and varieties. Melanie Millar and her friends visited the Ann Arbor school's Nichols Arboretum on Monday to take some graduation photos. The 18-year-old Millar is set to graduate from a Detroit-area high school in a matter of days. 'I'm here with my best friends — a bunch of girls. … We just came here to get pictures since it's going to be a nice day, and the Peony Garden seemed like a nice place to go to,' Millar said. The W.E. Upjohn Peony Garden features the largest collection of historic — pre-1950 — herbaceous peonies in North America, 'and likely the world,' curator David Michener said. 'Once you come here to the Peony Garden, you'll be mesmerized, and you'll understand why people love peonies,' he said. 'The fragrances, the colors, the forms, it's just intoxicating.' The peony watch is a spectator sport with tens of thousands of visitors arriving at The Arb each spring to behold the unique perennials — so many that visitors have to be bused in. But there was a somber mood among some Monday. Vandals cut off the blooms of roughly 250 peonies a day earlier, the University of Michigan Division of Public Safety and Security said in a statement. Although no group or organization has taken credit for vandalizing the garden, some papers were left behind, DPSS said. One referenced the war in Gaza, saying: 'Palestinian lives deserve to be cared for. More than these flowers.' 'What would possess someone just to destroy nature and the beauty of it? It's just unfathomable,' visitor Linda J.K. Klenczar said Monday. 'There's no explanation. I don't know if they're going to catch someone who did this. They need to explain themselves.' It's a moving target each year as to when the peonies will reach peak bloom. And one of great interest – with scores of peony-watchers glued to the Arb's Instagram page for updates. 'What makes it so challenging to predict is they pay no attention to the calendar,' Michener said. 'They're driven totally by day and night temperatures.' The campus Peony Garden contains more than 300 historic cultivated varieties from the 19th and early 20th centuries, representing American, Canadian and European peonies of the era. The garden typically features up to 10,000 flowers at peak bloom. Their colorful blossoms draw admirers from Michigan and beyond, but the peonies' beauty is not their primary function. The garden is designed as a support mechanism for academia — to be a research collection for students and faculty to explore genomics and social issues. Michener and his colleagues at Matthaei Botanical Gardens and Nichols Arboretum work closely with their sister garden in Minsk, the Central Botanical Garden of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, trying to understand how ornamental peonies are related to each other and the wild, ancestral species. Michigan's Peony Garden is free to visit and open from sunrise to sunset. For those drawn to the ancient plant's scent, Michener said it's best to show up earlier in the day or later in the evening, when the fragrances are the best. 'It's very colorful. I have a lot of peonies in my backyard, so I have a spot for them. But they're a beautiful flower,' Millar said. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Winnipeg Free Press
6 days ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Bustling crowds and bus rides are part of the annual peony pilgrimage to Michigan
ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) — It's time to peek at the peak peonies. Visitors are making the annual pilgrimage to the University of Michigan this week to see — and smell — one of the world's premier collections of the garden plant, featuring showy red, white and pink blooms of countless shades and varieties. Melanie Millar and her friends visited the Ann Arbor school's Nichols Arboretum on Monday to take some graduation photos. The 18-year-old Millar is set to graduate from a Detroit-area high school in a matter of days. 'I'm here with my best friends — a bunch of girls. … We just came here to get pictures since it's going to be a nice day, and the Peony Garden seemed like a nice place to go to,' Millar said. The W.E. Upjohn Peony Garden features the largest collection of historic — pre-1950 — herbaceous peonies in North America, 'and likely the world,' curator David Michener said. 'Once you come here to the Peony Garden, you'll be mesmerized, and you'll understand why people love peonies,' he said. 'The fragrances, the colors, the forms, it's just intoxicating.' The peony watch is a spectator sport with tens of thousands of visitors arriving at The Arb each spring to behold the unique perennials — so many that visitors have to be bused in. But there was a somber mood among some Monday. Vandals cut off the blooms of roughly 250 peonies a day earlier, the University of Michigan Division of Public Safety and Security said in a statement. Although no group or organization has taken credit for vandalizing the garden, some papers were left behind, DPSS said. One referenced the war in Gaza, saying: 'Palestinian lives deserve to be cared for. More than these flowers.' 'What would possess someone just to destroy nature and the beauty of it? It's just unfathomable,' visitor Linda J.K. Klenczar said Monday. 'There's no explanation. I don't know if they're going to catch someone who did this. They need to explain themselves.' It's a moving target each year as to when the peonies will reach peak bloom. And one of great interest – with scores of peony-watchers glued to the Arb's Instagram page for updates. 'What makes it so challenging to predict is they pay no attention to the calendar,' Michener said. 'They're driven totally by day and night temperatures.' The campus Peony Garden contains more than 300 historic cultivated varieties from the 19th and early 20th centuries, representing American, Canadian and European peonies of the era. The garden typically features up to 10,000 flowers at peak bloom. Their colorful blossoms draw admirers from Michigan and beyond, but the peonies' beauty is not their primary function. The garden is designed as a support mechanism for academia — to be a research collection for students and faculty to explore genomics and social issues. Michener and his colleagues at Matthaei Botanical Gardens and Nichols Arboretum work closely with their sister garden in Minsk, the Central Botanical Garden of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, trying to understand how ornamental peonies are related to each other and the wild, ancestral species. Michigan's Peony Garden is free to visit and open from sunrise to sunset. For those drawn to the ancient plant's scent, Michener said it's best to show up earlier in the day or later in the evening, when the fragrances are the best. 'It's very colorful. I have a lot of peonies in my backyard, so I have a spot for them. But they're a beautiful flower,' Millar said.
