dave @ stejonda wrote:

My wife is so impressed with the tree peony flowering in our garden that
she wants another.

All of our local garden centres / nurseries have only got the dregs of
their stock and say that we're too late but May/June seems to be the
time they normally flower. Are the ones sold commercially forced? Can
anyone suggest a good source of TP plants?

Try Kelways,the Royal Nursery,Langport,Somerset TA109EZ
Tel 0459 250521.
This number is many years old and may be slightly altered now.
They are the pre-eminent paeony growers with a beautiful catalogue.
Take your pick, but you will problably have to wait for the best
planting time, but you will be well rewarded for your patience.
My wife and I motored down to Somerset to make a personal
choice, and had to wait for many weeks for planting time.
It took four years from planting to first flower but what a reward !
It,s in flower now when the spring bulbs have finished and the summer
bedding has not yet started, a solitary beauty.

There is a tale of a gardener in old Japan whose fame spread far and wide
even to the Emperor's court.
The Emperor resolved to visit this garden and set off.
When the gardener saw the entourage approaching he went into the garden
and selected his most beautiful plant then chopped down all the rest so that
its beauty would have no competition.

I think you and I know the feeling.

Sam.