Three Tree Paeonies

Many years ago an auntie gave me a tree paeony she had grown from seed. It was one of the Buttercup yellow ones, variety unknown. I duly planted it and forgot about it for a few years, until it established itself and really began to flourish. It is in full sun in our South facung arden, and our soil is rich but well drained, which is pretty good digs for a paeony!

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 !