As someone who loves peonies, I was delighted to discover CharMarron Peony Nursery, tucked away in the hills of San Jose at 535 Sierra Road. According to their website, they have over 240 varieties of peonies under cultivation. It's a bit of a drive to get there (a very scenic one), so you want to check their website to ensure they will be open. We caught them on one of their open days before they closed for the season (usually around Memorial Day). But they sell potted plants all year round, and you can make an appointment on their website. Bare root shipping is available from Aug. 15-Dec. 31. The lady who owns the place is friendly and helpful. I purchased 2 of the potted plants, "Bowl of Cream" and "Nellie Saylor." Compared to what they charge in most nurseries in the area for similar sized peonies, these were a bargain! Next year, I'll be sure to go earlier in the spring, to catch most of the plants in bloom. read more

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We've been coming here for the last 5-6 yrs. The only place we'd get our beautiful peonies. We bought a few selections and planted them at our spot in MRY and we recently bought 6 for our spot in S Cal. We'll see how well they'll grow once we plant them in the fall. The owner, Marcie, has always been very engaging and helpful. There's a myriad of options here. We just love coming here even to browse... ALWAYS A GREAT EXPERIENCE. read more

Extensive and lovely array of peony varieties. Just not easy to get there since it's up on the hills. But view was perfect. Marcia Reed, the owner, gave us the history of her nursery farm and facts about peony plant care. read more

My mother and I went there today, and it was delightful. We enjoyed talking to Marcia and found her to be kind, knowledgeable, and welcoming. To get there, we printed out the map provided on the website (https://www.4peonies.com/), which noted that using Google Maps/GPS will take you on a less direct and steeper route. We were a little nervous because others had commented that the road was challenging, but the road we took, using the website map, was well-paved, had two-way traffic, and a relatively low-grade ascent. It was about 15-20 minutes up the hill from the Spring Valley Golf course. There are yellow signs indicating the street to turn onto. However, the wood sign is a bit obscured at the actual driveway of the property. When you see the breathtaking view of the reservoir on the right, at the peak of the hill, it's the driveway on the left with the greenish rod-iron gate-- 5335 Sierra Road. Turn into the driveway and go to the left, around the house. Then, you'll see the clearing where the parking and flowers are located. Keep in mind that this is not a big-name brand commercial nursery, like Summerwinds or Home Depot, so adjust your expectations and you'll find it to be a very special experience. This is private property. Marcia has a passion for peonies, and she opens her very large garden to allow peony enthusiasts to purchase and enjoy the many varieties she cultivates. Considering it appears to be a one-woman show, Marcia has done an incredible job providing parking, a lovely garden gallery of planted peonies for your viewing pleasure, and a sea of all kinds of peonies for sale, with labeled pots and signs to identify different varieties and colors. That said, be patient if you don't immediately see Marcia or if she's busy helping someone else. We felt like guests at a beautiful property, rather than customers. There is a sign on the fence indicating the prices. The prices were very reasonable, comparable to the peonies we purchased at Costco last year, and significantly less than some we saw at commercial or boutique nurseries. Additionally, please note that since this is not a large, big-name brand commercial operation, there is no multi-page online shopping website, cashier counter, etc. However, do check the website for the hours and payment details before visiting. When we first arrived, another customer enthusiastically told us that if we came back in May, we would see even more flowers in bloom (I would say there was maybe about 1/3 to 1/2 the plants on the property where in bloom at this point), and shared that he has been a customer for 20 years. Keep in mind that not all the plants have buds, nor are all of them in bloom. However, peonies are long-lasting perennials and can produce blooms for decades after they mature. What makes CharMarron nursery special is the huge variety of uncommon varieties. If you're looking for something unique, this is a hidden gem! read more

Beautiful Nursery hidden in the hills of San Jose. Perfect intimate place to visit and take pictures and purchase some amazing peonies. I've never seen more bright petals! Owners were sweet, will be back to check out olive oil. Perfect Mother's Day gift + my moms favorite flower! Excited to plant them and start our own mini nursery! FYI: Go on website listed and get the directions, gps takes you the long way at the wrong end! read more

CharMarron Peony Nursery - Felix Supreme - Nurseries & Gardening Near Me - San Jose, California

Five stars for the uniqueness factor. Where else can you indulge in beautiful vistas, peonies, llamas, and olive oil? Made the beautiful drive to the nursery, enjoyed the varieties of flowers in bloom, and then bought some olive oil to enjoy. Best time to visit is late spring. read more

Lowered my rating because the owner thought it wise to tell me it's my fault I can't read her cryptic messaging or understand her misguided efforts to shoo me from her property. Sad. read more

Peonies are my favorite flower but so very hard to find! After a couple hours of researching of where to purchase a peony plant, I came across CharMarron Peony Nursery and I am so glad I did. The flowers are beautiful and location is beautiful. We purchased 5 potted plants and a bottle of their homegrown olive oil. The owners were very helpful and kind. Tip: do your research on their website so you have an idea of what you want. read more

This place is phenomenal. Definitely worth the drive (check other reviewer's tip re: which streets to use - super helpful!) It's a bit like being in heaven, being surrounded by so much beauty in one place. The prices are also super reasonable - nurseries are charging about $50 for a 5-gal peony plant, and CharMarron was charging $20 when I went in 2019. I purchased 3 - two have done well, and one not so well. I'm not even mad, though - I only paid $60 instead of $150. I met the owner and I initially found her a little bit offputting. Ultimately, though, she was fine, and she seemed to like my friend who I brought with me. I suppose I'm not entirely surprised by some people's comments, but keep in mind that she's older and that she's the owner, not some retail clerk. Plus this is her private home. She doesn't have to be obsequious, and she isn't. I read the screenshots people are attaching, and I'm not sure they all merit 1 star reviews, but clearly, that's a matter of opinion. My advice: come out and see this place for yourself. You won't have attention lavished on you, but who cares? If you keep to yourself and enjoy the peonies, you'll have an amazing experience and you might even walk away with some very reasonably-priced plants to take home. My friend and I are coming again this year, and might even come twice - once to catch the early peonies, and once to catch the late ones. :) read more

This is the way the owner treats potential customers. (See screenshots of messages below) I wholeheartedly agree the reviews that mention how rude the owner is. I wouldn't ever patronize this place no matter how much I love Peonies. This is a perfect example of how not to treat your customers. read more

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After quite the drive, once we pulled in the driveway I was terribly disappointed. There was no one to be seen working or otherwise. We drove in saw the peonies to our right and drove out. The peonies were on there last lap the garden area was covered with hoses and debris that I could never let my mom walk around, terrible trip hazards everywhere. Do not waste your time or gas going here! Wish I would have taken a picture to show on here. read more

My husband drove me all the way up here as a surprise to get me my very favorite flowers for Mother's Day. Got there. No clue who worked there. Looked around and settled on two buckets of peony plants to plant in our yard. No one ever said a word to us. We waited at the olive oil stand but no one ever came to help out. So we left. Still a lovely idea that my husband came up with to surprise me. I wrote something else but I'm just going to go with this. We were ignored and your response pretty much sums up your attitude. And it wasn't busy. read more

This place is absolutely amazing. The peonies are so beautiful. We picked 2 to take home (Don Richardson and Cora strub) both just beautiful. The views are gorgeous in every direction. read more

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For those who are not familiar with peonies, they are beautifully fragrant flowers with a ridiculously short blooming season. Not to mention they're crazy expensive at a lot of florists and aren't the easiest flowers to come by. Now you might get lost finding the place, ( I know I get lost almost every time) but once you get there it's amazing! Seeing thousands of peonies in bloom is a breathtaking site..... not to mention they have llamas. Yep llamas. I have also made many friends of mine fans of the olive oil..... not really good for me since that means I have to get it for them but any excuse to drop by is worth it. read more

Let me first say that the view going up to the Garden is beautiful. It is high up, so you get to see San Jose from up the hill. Lots of greenery and cows in the spring time. Now on to the garden, it was well worth the drive. If you like peonies, you must come if you are near by. There are so many different breeds, and the smell is very lovely. The fragrance is not as strong as roses, but it has its own light smell. The farm is not huge, but big enough to enjoy. The person in charge seems to be helpful, but if you ask too many questions she looks to be annoyed. I was a bit dissapointed, since I came too early (and all the peonies were not bloomed yet) and we wern't able to have any cuttings. But I will be coming back next week, when all the flowers bloom! CAUTIONS: On the way up you must watch out for very fast cars and bikers. The road is very windy and narrow, on some parts of the road it becomes one lane. read more

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Let's start with the drive up to this beautiful farm. TAKE CALAVERAS instead of Sierra road. It's a nice drive for those who loves curvy roads with a lot of blind spots. I didn't mind it, but my mom was not very thrilled about the ride up. The farm is a little hard to find but the bright yellow signs definitely made it easier to find. We came to the farm today before they were officially open to buy some tree and bush plants for my mom. Do your homework before you get there! Make a list of plants BY NAMES and not colors. There's so many variations and options you'll be overwhelmed by how many plants are available to you. JUST DO YOUR HOMEWORK, write down the names you like/want. And bring it with you. Marsha, the owner, was such a delightful woman! We didn't have an appointment, but she was still helpful and gave us a lot of advice on growing our plants. She spent a good amount of time really helping us pick out plants and giving us detailed information in growing them successfully. Overall, we came before bloom time and we will definitely be back when the season opens so we can pick out more plants! Thank you Marsha! My mom is excited about her plants! read more

CharMarron Peony Nursery - Not blooming season yet, but there's so many plants to pick from. - Nurseries & Gardening Near Me - San Jose, California

This is one of hidden gems in bay area. The ride to the nursery was scenery. We drove from Milpitas Mccarthy Ranch and the GPS direction was the same as the website. The nursery have so many selections! Tree peonies are hard to find and it takes years before they bloom. We came here and saw the tree peonies that Marcia planted 15- 25 years ago and they have the most beautiful flowers I've ever seen. Looks like Marcia runs the business by herself, answering phone calls and help customers visiting onsite. There are things that could be better but I admire having a passion that lasts decades. She wasn't in a hurry to sell me anything and gave me advices on the peonies I planted two years and had trouble. I followed tips online who do not garden in california, and planted peonies 1-2inches below the ground. And they don't grow well and one even didn't sprout this year. Once I followed her advice to pull back soil it finally started to sprout! We left w an Itoh Peony Hilary and hopefully it'll bloom next year. read more

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Our new Sunday morning ritual is to try a new place. Today we decided to visit the gardens to see the peonies. The drive was slow but beautiful. The views were breath taking. The flowers were not all abloom and we came to know that May is better than April, but it was a feast from eyes and soul. The lady who owns the nursery, Marcia, was very helpful and answered all our questions. Hope to go in May again. read more

CharMarron Peony Nursery - Nurseries & Gardening Near Me - San Jose, California

This place is awful. The customer service is awful, they don't even try. I wouldn't ever recommend shopping here. I tried to shop here and they were rude and insulting. read more

Gorgeous, amazing nursery! As many of the wonderful things and places that surround us, I found this one by pure coincidence looking at Google Maps a different place where I haven't been yet to do a bike ride. And I read the word 'chateau' and immediately went to their website and saw that not only they had these 1000 peonies in full splendor and 240 varieties to sell, but also they offer olive oil from Tuscany variety and I could not resist to get my bottle! I am an olive oil addict and really these oil on my warm baguette hit the spot! so good. But the place itself is worth the visit even if you don't buy plants or olive oil (flower business managed by wife, olive by husband, good labor division:). This is a total hidden gem in the mountain so close to North San Jose! You could see a lama too! Everywhere you look is wonderful, the views, the flowers with the most original names (even one dedicated to Dr. Fleming, another to Sherley Temple, go figure, all equally gorgeous). read more

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I bought 4 peonies from Chateau Charmarron last year. I went in during a bad rainy day on Saturday morning. The road getting there is narrow and winding, some part is non-asphalt and one-way lane. So just be ready for it. When we arrived, we were greeted by a lady with no smile. Very cold and unwelcoming day, indeed. We thought we better get our business done fast this morning. I had a list of peonies varieties that I wanted. She definitely is very knowledgeable of where everything is. She pointed to directions where I can find my peonies. I grabbed them, confirmed if I got the right plants with the lady, paid in cash and left under 30 mins. To my surprise, 2 out of 4 peonies that I got, weren't the varieties that I am looking for, eventho the labeling said so. They have different color and look from the labels. What the hell! So frustrated, it's not like i can just drive them back and return them after 1 year. (They just bloomed this year). Plus, one of the peonies died, didn't survive the cold this past winter. Oh well.... Buy BUT verify in this case. I am not planning to go back ever. read more

Why one star when everyone else gives it five? In short, the peonies are five stars, while the owner's attitude rates a negative number. Add it up and you get the one star, which still feels generous. The Peonies are beautiful. It is fun to walk around and at your leisure and pick out your favorite peony at $2 a stem, but the experience at the end when you have to interact with the owner negates any sort of fun or novelty that you may have just experienced. Her bad attitude and complete lack of customer service skills make the drive up the hill not worth it. I was already leery of the hospitality and lack of courteousness I observed when the owner was snappy to a sweet elderly couple when we walked in. The couple was simply asking how the system works (ie, which flowers to cut, etc.). Most people were having fun, because it's a field of peonies and they were most likely able to just ignore the grouchiness of the owner. I can't ignore it however since the owner decided to yell at not only me, but my mother-in-law. That's were I draw the line. Long story short, they don't have water easily accessible-- you have to go find the end of the hose and turn it on. It's not a big deal, though apparently we weren't as quick and adept as the owner thought we should be and felt it acceptable to yell at us, literally yell about what to do and when to turn off the water. How can being in a field of peonies leave someone so upset? We had just completed our purchase and if we hadn't, I would have walked out of there. In summary, madam grouchy owner, if you don't want to deal with people, don't have a peony garden and invite people to cut flowers. I wasn't expecting you to be standing there waving at me with a tall glass of lemonade, but I did expect some simple respect for me and my mother-in-law. Especially sad, since it was Mother's Day and all. read more

Reply to Marcia: Please don't ever comment on the way I speak again. It's not exclusively my fault because YOU couldn't hear. Had you mentioned it kindly, it wouldn't even be a problem and I probably would've even said sorry. Honestly, I would rather you never contact me again if I knew that you were going to leave something like that on a voicemail. Sorry that I was an inconvenience to you, but it's completely unacceptable to even say something like that as a business owner and then justify your actions on a public platform. Not to mention sending a nasty message behind yelp viewers backs. I wasn't even going to reply to you until I saw you sent me a private message! It's really not about setting up an appointment, it's the way you speak to people. I was so excited to see your beautiful peonies and I would've waited weeks to get something I was really excited about, but its the principle. I still have the voicemail and it ends with you telling me to change how I speak. Should I post that too? Granted, I speak perfect English and was born speaking English- not that I should even have to justify it. Marcia, I'm wishing your business the best and I hope you can find kindness in you heart to learn how to speak to others and how to appropriately reply to people on Yelp. read more

CharMarron Peony Nursery - I really didn't need an apt ASAP, I just wished she had talked respectfully. Yikes! - Nurseries & Gardening Near Me - San Jose, California

You'll love this place if you're a fan of peonies. They have over 200 varieties and they are gorgeous when in bloom. Plants start at $35. Martha, the owner was very friendly and told me how to plant in ground and take care of them. Also you can purchase stem cuttings to put in vase by walking around and letting Martha know which ones you want. There are hundreds of olive trees--none of them for sale but you can purchase their olive oil. Suggest taking Calaveras Road to get there (it turns into Sierra Road); do not take Sierra Road unless you're a fan of driving up mountains with roads edging the cliff, many of which are only one lane with blind spots. Definitely a hidden gem in Silicon Valley. read more

CharMarron Peony Nursery - Coral Charm peonies are stunning! - Nurseries & Gardening Near Me - San Jose, California

This place is incredible!! Beautiful and rare Peonies that you can purchase via online or at the farm. The owner knows everything you need to know about growing your own at home! If you love Peonies this is the place to visit. read more

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Came here end of May, we took the long route on sierra road which was a beautiful drive. A lot narrower road compare to the one on Calaveras. So if you are afraid of heights, take the Calaveras road. We got up to the garden and was greeted by Marcia's husband, he was very approachable and a very nice man. We finally met Marcia who is the care taker of the peonies and yes she might not seems as friendly, she kind of expected you knew enough about the peonies but I guess she kind of loosen up when she knew that we were serious about buying the plants, because the first thing she said that kind of seems like she was turning us away was the blooming season was over and that there is not much to see anymore. We ended up buying five pots and then when we were about to leave, she came running towards us telling us that she had the Walter faxon after all so we ended up getting six. I will definitely be back next year just so that we can see all the peonies when they are all in bloom. Who knows we might buy more. To Marcia, thank you so much for your patience and help and even answering my question through email. I know how it can be stressful to work at a garden and pet Lucy for us. (Their pet pitbull) read more

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I love this garden. Everything was so beautiful. I came too late for the season but I managed to take home 1 plant. Thank you for a wonderful experience and great customer service. read more

In love with this place! Great selection of peonies to choose from. The owner is super nice and helpful. Good prices. I bought Red Charm & Mrs. JFK, they bloomed beautifully. I will definitely be back for more next season. read more

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I had an amazing experience here with Marcia! She is soooooo wonderful, personable, and extremely helpful! I'm new to gardening and she patiently answered all of my questions I needed to start. She has so many types of peonies to offer and they're all so beautiful and reasonably priced. Her farm is literally peony heaven! I seriously can't wait to come back in the spring and buy more flowers :). Thank you so much, Marcia!!! read more

A hidden gem for flowers, namely peonies. I don't remember how I stumbled on this place but I'm so glad I did. When I found out that my girlfriend loved peonies I tried to find them at so many local flower shops but they can be hard to find because they have such a short season to bloom, maybe two months or so, and so they arent easy to come by all the time. Low and behold, there was an entire garden of them in Milpitas just outside of town on Sierra Road and there are so many peonies at this farm that the owner only sells them by the plant, she does not sell cut flowers, so we purchased an entire plant. Who knew there were so many different types of peonies, every color is represented in different hues and some of them are so bright they look like they've been painted by God himself that morning. If you or your lady friend like flowers and gardens and especially peonies then you have to make a trip here. The plants are at a very reasonable price, most are $25 or $30. But its only worth coming in April and May, otherwise you may miss their bloom entirely. read more

CharMarron Peony Nursery - beautiful peony in a vast garden of them in Milpitas - Nurseries & Gardening Near Me - San Jose, California

Really nice people. Gave me an outstanding tutorial on peonies and had a great conversation regarding olives and issue with growing them in the Valley. Beautiful peonies and I will be back for more. read more

I picked up six peonies yesterday. Everything about this place is a delight - even when the flowers aren't in bloom. Marcia, the owner, is delightful - generous with her time and advice. She loves these plants and that is evident in the quality of the material that she sells. The drive to the garden is spectacular as are the views. And, llamas! Need I say more? read more

CharMarron Peony Nursery - Nurseries & Gardening Near Me - San Jose, California

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We made a visit to this garden just before Mother's Day hoping to get half a dozen or so peony stems but unfortunately the stems are not for sale this year (may be in the future years). We found the lady owner quite friendly and helpful, quite contrary to a previous reviewer. I totally agree with the other reviewers about taking Calaveras instead of Sierra to get there. There are 2 sections on Sierra where the road is only a narrow one lane with blind curves! It's the blind curves that make this section of the road particularly dangerous. I made it once and will never drive those sections again. read more

We appeared late in the afternoon over Memorial Day weekend. This being an untypical year, there are many peonies still in bloom. The fragrance was intoxicating. Such beauty, so much variety, a neat and tidy nursery is one indication of the good care given to the plants. The nursery is a pleasant drive up to the top of the hills of San Jose. The direct route is via Calaveras, from Rt 680. If you go west on Sierra, a portion of the road is one lane. Unbelievably gorgeous country. The owner was working on the flowers, yet was unbelievably gracious: clear instructions as to how to grow the plants. She was extremely patient with these 2 customers who didn't have a clue as to which variety to purchase, so many choices from which to choose! There are many nuances in different varieties represented. Visit the nursery and see them all. The beautiful peonies that are now at our home were only $2 more than those bought at Costco in 2010! Best of all, the owner indicated that the peonies are not relished by gophers! This business deserves your business, you will not be disappointed. read more

I just bought bulbs through the website for this place. I was a bit nervous initially to send them a personal check to the owner. However, I got a prompt response from my email and very good service from them. I am writing this review to confirm this. I got a tracking # and got my bulbs within a few days. The reason I wanted to buy from this place is the bulbs are so amazing. They have 200 varieties to choose from. The ones they grow are heirloom varieties, gold metal winners and exotic ones from China. I bought 7. I looked at plenty of websites before I got enamored with this one. The bulbs on other sites go from $15-$150 depending on color and desirability. I wanted something unusual and special. This was a special birthday gift. At the Chateau the bulbs were $20 each. I chose to buy from them because they are local and I know the bulbs will survive in a similar climate. Wonderful service and I want to go there someday. Its on my bucket list! read more

Love visiting this Peony farm - the owners are just nice people who really enjoy their passions in retirement. The beauty of all the Peonies in full bloom is just breathtaking! Recommend taking Calaveras Road route to Sierra rather than Sierra Road as there is a pretty harrowing part of Sierra past the Open Space that is one lane that you can barely pass on! read more

The view and drive were amazing! The peonys were well worth the trip. Do not expect a cheerful welcome. Let's just say people interaction and customer service could be greatly improved read more

If you want peonies and iris, look no further! I went there and they got so many choices, I had to ask them to pick one for me. Plus, the prices are very reasonable, I got a 5-eye herbaceous peony for $20. Now, I'm excited to see my new peony come into bloom when summer arrives!!! read more

I thought it's not possible to grow peonies in CA because their chill requirement. So surprised to find a peony nursery in San Jose! And locals can buy them grown in pots. They bought 5 of them 2 years ago from them. They bloom beautifully and surprisingly easy to grow. Just bought 2 more from them this year. They have great selection and news ones every year. Highly recommend this place. read more