The Hoard Historical Museum has announced the start of its sale of Roger and Sandra Anderson hybrid intersectional peonies. Two new, unique breeds of Anderson peonies are for sale and can only be found at the Hoard Historical Museum. They are not available anywhere else and have never been for sale before, according to information released by the museum.
The peonies for sale are:
“W.D. Hoard,” is named after Gov. William D. Hoard who was the founder of the Daily Jefferson County Union and Hoards Dairyman Magazine. He also served as the 16th Wisconsin Governor. “W.D. Hoard” first bloomed in 2006. It has red blooms that are 5-6 inches wide with a lovely fragrance. The plants are roughly 28 inches tall by 36 inches wide.
“Mary C. Hoard,” is named after Fort Atkinson’s own Mary Hoard. It also first bloomed in 2006 and has medium pink flowers that are 3-4 inches wide. “Mary C. Hoard” is a unique peony since not every bloom is the same. Some blooms have inner white petals while others have darker pink petals. These plants will grow to approximately 26 inches tall by 26 inches wide.
Also for sale is a limited number of Anderson-breed “Bartzella” peonies, known as the “most perfect yellow peony” in the world. “Bartzella” first bloomed in 1986, and considered by many to be Roger Anderson’s best Intersectional Peony. Its 6-8 inch yellow flowers have a small scarlet flare in the center and a sweet fragrance. This plant will grow to approximately 36 inches tall by 36 inches wide.
Roger and Sandra Andersons donated the peonies to the museum to be used as a fundraiser for the museum. Funds raised from the peony sale will be used to support the Hoard Historical Museum, particularly for the gardens of the museum.
“We are very honored by the continuing generosity of the Andersons to the Hoard Historical Museum and the Fort Atkinson Historical Society,” said Merrilee Lee, Hoard Museum director. “Over 10 years ago, the Andersons donated more than 60 peonies to serve as our permanent Peony Garden, at the corner of Foster Street and S. 4th Street. This garden has been visited by tens of thousands of people in the years since it was installed.” The permanent Peony Garden contains some of the Andersons’ most well-known peonies: Bartzella, Early Arrival, Court Jester, and more. The Hoard Museum’s garden volunteers maintain the peony garden and have given tours of the Peony Garden to thousands of visitors through the years.
Said Lee: “A few years ago, the Andersons donated all their stock of two unique, new peonies, the W.D. Hoard and the Mary C. Hoard peony. We have been allowing these peonies to develop to prepare them for sale. Roger named these peonies after well-known local townspeople, who besides being important to Fort Atkinson and Wisconsin, are very important to the Museum.”
The Andersons have been instrumental in preparations for the sale, from helping with pricing to expected dates of delivery.
“Roger and Sandra sold peonies for decades. We relied heavily on their expertise in deciding details for this sale and are so grateful for their generosity,” Lee said.
Orders for peonies are now open. Buyers may select up to three peony plants to purchase (maximum two of each type) and will be purchasing a bare root division with multiple buds. Plants must be paid-in-full at the time of order. To purchase peonies, buyers are welcome to attend two open houses at the museum to see the peonies in person prior to purchasing. Orders for peonies will continue to be accepted through the summer. All purchases must be picked up at the museum; the museum will not ship any plants to buyers. The museum does not guarantee any plant. Please contact the museum for any questions or to obtain an order form.
To help individuals interested in purchasing peony plants, the Hoard Museum will be holding two open houses. The open houses, hosted by Museum garden volunteers, will be on Friday, May 28, from 4:30-6 p.m. and Saturday, June 5, from 1-3 p.m. However, plants may be ordered at any time during the museum’s open hours during the summer or orders may be mailed into the museum office. The museum will announce when ordering will cease for 2021.
Those who purchased a peony may pick it up from the museum on Friday, Sept. 10, or Saturday, Sept. 11, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., for both days. In order to ensure the healthiest peony plant, orders cannot be shipped or held past Thursday, Sept. 16. Plants must be planted soon after pick-up to allow the plant to begin to establish itself before winter.
New peony owners will also receive planting and care instructions for their plants. “W.D. Hoard” plants are $225 per plant, “Mary C. Hoard” plants are $175 per plant, and “Bartzella” plants are $75. Hoard Historical Museum and Fort Atkinson Historical Society members receive a discount and have also received advanced notice of the sale.
Please call the Hoard Historical Museum at 920-563-7769 for more information. The Hoard Historical Museum is located at 401 Whitewater Avenue in Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin. The museums are open Tuesday through Saturday from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. It is closed on Sundays and Mondays. For more information, call the museums at 920-563-7769 and visit our website at www.hoardmuseum.org. Like us on Facebook.
Photos above: The Hoard Historical Museum is offering three types of Roger and Sandra Anderson peonies for sale. Pictured above are two of the types: the yellow “Bartzella” and the pink “Mary C. Hoard.” Not pictured is the “W.D. Hoard” peony.
Photos supplied.
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