I am very fond of tree paeonies and we have several in our garden. This is my favorite. It looks like the famous rockii but is actually 'Shimane Hakugan'. This plant is at least 15 years old.
When my daughter, Ruth, moved from Purley (South London) to Kuala Lumpur three years ago, she had just planted two tree paeonies, one of which was also Shimane Hakugan. Well I wasn't having that. The new owners might not like tree paeonies. So I dug them up and moved them to Malvern where they are flourishing.
There is a general feeling in the family that love of these plants tokens something not quite right with Mother's taste. Blousy? Over the top? A trifle uneducated?
The plant is straggly and has nothing but bare sticks to show over winter. I have to prune it very carefully to keep it even down to this size. And it does not pay the rent - that is, it does not have a long season or have interesting autumn colour. But I forgive the plant everything for three weeks of these a year.
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