Photo above is the best one I could find - it is the largest mound of greenery you can see !
When it is in flower it is quite spectacular and, for an English garden, looks quite exotic.
When we open the garden, it is responsible for the most-asked question ! Everyone wants to know what it is, initially, then they usually comment on the humungous seed pods, which are on the tree in great profusion by midsummer. I always give a pod to people, more in hope than in faith, as I have never had any success at propagating any, despite many attempts ... until now!
I noticed this little seedling next to the parent plant last summer and potted it up. It presumably had gone through two dormancy periods before germinating, as peonies seeds have a double dormancy, like herbaceous ones do. It has overwintered in the greenhouse, and look at it now ...
I am sooo pleased ! I will nurture it some more before planting it out.
Now, I just happened to be sauntering about in our local garden center this week, and I always look at the Tree Paeonies, again, more in hope than in faith, as you usually need to re-mortgage the house to buy one ! But, look what I found... a lovely pink 'Alexander Fleming' full of life and ready to burst. And it cost just shy of six pounds .
In another few years I hope to be sowing the seed of this good boy !
