Rand, be patient, tree paeonies will often "sulk" their first year in the garden. From my own experience, they will take another season to get established and then they become regular bloomers. They are slow grows in general (mostly, P. delavayi and the lutea hybrids are faster), building a shrub over a period of 5-7 years. They can be lightly pruned to keep them in shape, and I always prune the established ones in late Winter to remove any withered parts. I wouldn't worry about hardiness in Zone 5. There are plenty of plants carrying on in much colder areas. Jamie V. Cologne > Now, the thing sat for awhile, then leafed out like an umbrella and, for all intents and purposes, has turned into a lawn sculpture, showing no activity for the last two months. It is just over a foot high. Carol (my spouse) was expecting something that at least _looked_ like a tree (or bush), like the pretty ones that you see in the catalogues. I sort of thought it would at least make the attempt at growth, even though I do not think it will stand much of a chance against our winter, if we have another like last year. Is this normal? I do remember that it is two year old stock. > Rand