Fleur de Roy, a 10-acre peony farm located on the shores of Mitchell’s Bay in Chatham-Kent, is currently Ontario’s largest pick-your-own peony farm. Twenty or so years ago, Jules Roy and his wife, Valérie Chort-Roy, bought Bay Lodge - a 140 acre duck hunting lodge. With nearly 100 acres of marshland and 2 acres of coastal wetland shoreline, the couple viewed the property primarily as a conservation effort, and working with Ducks Unlimited Canada - a non-profit environmental organization that works to conserve, create, restore and manage wetlands - that work continues to this day.

But eight years ago, their nephew, Charles-André Rougeau-Roy, a native of Toulouse in Southern France, began to experiment with peonies in the field where soy beans once grew. Beginning with 500 plants, Rougeau-Roy spaced the plants as they would be in a garden, with space to encourage growth (more stems) and separated by grassed paths to maintain soil life.

As the experiment paid off, Fleur de Roy harvested their peonies for wholesale and the florist market. A successful venture, but it meant never actually seeing their field in bloom, as stems would be shipped before opening. Until now.

Changing course to a pick-your-own peony farm, Fleur de Roy is experimenting once again - and it’s paying off. Ticket sales for their first Peony Bloom Experience have been solid, with some days sold out completely. And it’s not just for the 150,000 peony stems. Nestled amongst rows of mature poplars, with the chorus of bird songs, the soft rows of grass, and the gentle breeze blowing in from Lake St. Clair, Fleur de Roy offers an irresistible experience. With three-hour time slots and ticket numbers kept purposely low, visitors are encouraged to take it all in. To stop and smell the peonies. The Peony Bloom Experience runs from May 30 to June 10 with the possibility of more dates being added. You can find them here https://www.fleurderoy.com/en/

I highly recommend paying them a visit.