Luoyang has cultivated peonies for over 1,500 years and holds a peony festival every April that draws visitors from across China. The National Peony Garden (国家牡丹园) on the western edge of the city is the largest and best of the several peony gardens, with hundreds of varieties covering five hectares. The display peaks in mid-April when the flowers bloom simultaneously, filling the garden with colours from white through pink, red, and the prized deep purple-black Luoyang Black variety.
Outside the festival weeks the garden is peaceful and uncrowded, and admission is cheaper. The garden maintains cultivars that no longer exist in the wild, making it botanically significant as well as beautiful. The festival itself runs from early April to early May, with the peak usually falling around 15–20 April depending on the year's temperatures. If you are in Luoyang during festival time, the garden is heavily crowded — arrive before 9am to beat the tour groups.