In Woodside, about 30 mi south of SF, Filoli gardens grows or used to grow several different herbaceous peonies. I haven't been there in years but they still list them as flowering in May. I used grow a nice clump of them in Oakland until the Oak root fungus got them. They bloomed reliably every Mother's day without any ice treatments in Oakland CA. Liz W Max Withers wrote: >By the way, Californians needn't trouble their master gardeners for >chill hours: they're all online here: >http://fruitsandnuts.ucdavis.edu/chillcalc/… > > > >> >> > > >