This photo of a very old tree peony was taken early in Spring. It’s branches are long and wavy, some lie on the ground and the bark is gnarled with age. Every year it produces large magenta flowers which glow for a few days before dropping their petals. Luckily there are more buds waiting to open and these extend the flowering season.
I can remember when there were three ancient tree peonies in Summerhome garden but the white semi double (unnamed) and Ettiene de France have died.
We now have several Paeonia rockii planted down by the lower drive and near the cannon there is an enormous specimen of Paeonia ludlowii which glows yellow when in flower.
