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    A short bloom, a long legacy at Eden Prairie’s Cummins-Phipps-Grill House

    Gretchen HaynesBy 1 Min Read
    Peonies near peak bloom in the east garden of Eden Prairie’s historic Cummins-Phipps-Grill House, which dates to the late 19th century.
    Peonies near peak bloom in the east garden of Eden Prairie’s Cummins-Phipps-Grill House, where a bed first planted before 1920 still thrives. Photos by Gretchen Haynes

    The peony garden outside Eden Prairie’s historic Cummins-Phipps-Grill House is once again putting on its short-lived show.

    Planted by Harriet Phipps before 1920, the east-side garden once featured 400 to 500 peony plants, including select and unusual varieties reportedly sourced from Chinese growers. The blooms were sold at Twin Cities markets and shared for community celebrations like weddings.

    Today, the city continues to care for the vintage plants outside the historic home, located on Pioneer Trail across from Flying Cloud Airport.

    Photos taken June 10 show the flowers glowing in the morning sun – likely near peak. But don’t wait: peonies bloom for just seven to 10 days, and many are already past their prime.

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    A sea of red, pink, and white peonies fills the east garden of Eden Prairie’s historic Cummins-Phipps-Grill House, near peak bloom this week.
    A sea of red, pink and white peonies fills the east garden of Eden Prairie’s historic Cummins-Phipps-Grill House on June 10.
    A bee gathers pollen from a white peony in the garden at Eden Prairie’s historic Cummins-Phipps-Grill House.
    Peonies in bloom at the Cummins-Phipps-Grill House garden, photographed on June 10.
    A bee collects pollen from a blooming peony at Eden Prairie’s historic Cummins-Phipps-Grill House garden.
    A red peony in full bloom at the Cummins-Phipps-Grill House garden in Eden Prairie, photographed June 10.
    A pink peony in full bloom at the Cummins-Phipps-Grill House garden in Eden Prairie

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