机构概况
西北太平洋牡丹协会（Pacific Northwest Peony Society，简称PNWPS）是一家区域性非营利组织，致力于在美国太平洋西北地区推广牡丹文化、连接牡丹爱好者，并推动牡丹的种植、研究与展示。协会成立于1996年，由牡丹爱好者阿尔·罗杰斯（Al Rogers）创立，创始理念是将本地区的牡丹种植者、景观设计师和业余爱好者聚集在一起，共同探索和欣赏这一美丽的花卉。协会采用”$10每年”的简单会费模式，致力于降低参与门槛，让更多爱好者能够加入社区。
组织架构与领导团队
协会领导团队包括：会长史蒂夫·史密斯（Steve Smith），自2017年开始种植牡丹，与丈夫拉里在华盛顿州埃奇伍德共同培育超过100个命名品种和数百个实生苗，种植面积仅四分之一英亩；副会长玛丽·艾斯利（Mary Isley）；秘书吉姆·桑普森（Jim Sampson），同时担任协会拍卖师，与妻子洛雷共同经营俄勒冈州胡德山附近的”珍稀花园”（Rarity Gardens），收集超过850个草本、伊藤和树牡丹品种；财务主管尼克·弗伦德（Nick Friend），继承家族牡丹切花业务。协会还设有多名董事会成员，每年秋季召开年度会议，会上举办现场拍卖活动。
年度活动与拍卖
协会每年举办丰富多彩的活动，包括牡丹嫁接工作坊（Peony Grafts）、年度秋季会议、牡丹展览和拍卖会等。年度现场拍卖是协会最重要的筹款活动，近年来每次拍卖都能为协会筹集3000至5000美元资金，用于支持协会运营和推广工作。2025年秋季会议首次在山脉以东地区举办，地点位于雅基马植物园（Yakima Arboretum），会议内容包括讲座、牡丹根茎拍卖和无声拍卖。协会还积极参与波特兰家居园艺展（Portland Home & Garden Show）等区域性展览活动。
2027年美国牡丹协会大会
西北太平洋牡丹协会将于2027年承办美国牡丹协会（American Peony Society）年度大会，主题为”花瓣与山峰——太平洋西北的牡丹”（Petals and Peaks – Peonies in the Pacific Northwest）。这一重要活动的筹备工作由会长史蒂夫·史密斯领导，新Logo和主题标语已在2026年秋季会议上正式发布。2027年大会将是太平洋西北地区牡丹界的一大盛事，届时将汇聚来自全美乃至世界各地的牡丹爱好者和专业人士。此外，协会会员可享受大会注册费折扣优惠。
官方网站：https://www.pnwpeony.org/
Overview
The Pacific Northwest Peony Society (PNWPS) is a regional non-profit dedicated to promoting peony culture, connecting enthusiasts, and advancing the cultivation, research, and display of peonies throughout the Pacific Northwest region. Founded in 1996 by peony lover Al Rogers, the society brings together growers, landscapers, and hobbyists through meetings, workshops, shows, and community outreach. Annual membership is offered at just $10 per household, making participation accessible to all.
Leadership and Governance
The leadership team includes: President Steve Smith, who has cultivated over 100 named cultivars and several hundred seedlings on just over a quarter acre in Edgewood, Washington since 2017; Vice-President Mary Isley; Secretary Jim Sampson, who also serves as the society’s auctioneer and co-owner of Rarity Gardens near Mt. Hood, Oregon, with over 850 herbaceous, Itoh, and tree peony varieties; and Treasurer Nick Friend, who continues a family peony cut-flower business. The society’s Board includes additional directors, with annual elections held during the fall meeting.
Events and Auctions
The society organizes a rich calendar of activities, including grafting workshops, annual fall meetings, peony exhibitions, and live auctions. The annual live auction is the society’s primary fundraising event, raising $3,000–$5,000 in recent years to support operations and outreach. The 2025 Fall Meeting was held at Yakima Area Arboretum—the first east-of-the-Cascades gathering—featuring presentations, a peony root auction, and a silent auction. The society also maintains an active presence at regional events like the Portland Home & Garden Show.
APS 2027 Convention
The Pacific Northwest Peony Society will host the American Peony Society’s 2027 Annual Convention, themed “Petals and Peaks – Peonies in the Pacific Northwest.” Convention branding and a new logo were unveiled at the 2026 Fall Meeting under the leadership of President Steve Smith. The 2027 Convention will be a major highlight for the regional peony community, bringing together enthusiasts and professionals from across the country. PNWPS members enjoy discounted convention registration rates.
