“Marry me and I’ll plant you 1000 peonies”
Rooted in a love story and a promise, Adoration Peony Garden exists to celebrate the beauty of imperfection, foster Meaningful Connections—and remind us all that growth takes time.
You’ve just stepped into someplace special!
Hi, there!Kristin & Eric Swenson
Seymour, Illinois
Our Story
It all started in 2019 with Eric's proposal promise: "If you marry me, I'll plant you 1,000 peonies."
Even while thinking he was crazy, Kristin said yes.
And true to his word, Eric started digging before we were even married. We lived in an apartment with no land, so he planted the first ten peonies in a community garden in Champaign, Illinois. Now, six seasons later, hundreds of peony plants produce more than 1000 blooms each May in our garden tucked under the pines in Seymour, Illinois. The blooms multiply each year, and Eric is still planting.
What began as a personal grand gesture quietly grew into something much sweeter. Over time, the garden became a place where blooms representing love are shared with friends, neighbors, food pantries, and anyone who could use a little beauty in their day. People started following along. Strangers became supporters. And peonies became messengers of generosity, connection, and joy.
This is a story about love in bloom—in all its messy, meaningful, magical forms.
Come Along on the Journey
Media Features
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Inside the Peony Garden
Peonies blooms may look delicate, but don't let their beauty fool you
Peony roots are so tough that they can thrive for over 100 years and are resilient through harsh weather conditions.
They are slow to grow and can take as long as 3 years to bloom, but they are worth waiting for.
Love is the same.
A thousand peonies and a lifelong love story—neither happens overnight.
But both prove that the best things in life take patience, hard work, and growth through imperfections.
Learning and Growing Together in Every Season
Now in its sixth season and hundreds of plants, Adoration Peony Garden is a promise that is still in progress. Eric continues to plant more each fall, working steadily toward his original proposal: 1,000 peonies for one big "yes."
As amateur gardeners, we're always learning, experimenting, making mistakes, and dreaming about the future of Adoration Peony Garden. This isn't a perfect garden. But it's a meaningful one. And it's meant to be shared.
Peony Varieties We’re Currently Growing
Coral Charm • Sarah Bernhardt • Mrs. Frank Beach • Leslie Peck • Duchesse de Nemours • Heidi • Kansas • Prince of Darkness • Pink Pompadour • Easy Lavender • Grover Cleveland • Honor • Paula Fey • Joker • Monsieur Jules Elie • Felix Supreme • Jan Van Leewen • Monsieur Dupont • Primevere • Celebrity
...and a few surprises we haven't identified yet!
The real beauty of peonies lies in the joy and meaningful connections they create between others
We don't commercially sell our peony blooms; instead, they are donated to food pantries and shared with those who could use a smile.
In recent years, we have been working to identify organized ways to share the joy of peonies from our private garden with more people while supporting programs in the community that serve causes close to our hearts.
Those causes are increasing access to education to help break the cycles of hardship, supporting families experiencing crisis, and providing resources to meet the needs of Veterans.
During peony season 2025, those visions came to life thanks to the outpouring of generosity and creativity from incredibly talented local collaborators who donated their hearts, time, talents, and resources.
