First, to follow up on Max's comments on our tree peony /(Paeonia suffriticosa/), it's been featured on our website and facebook if you want to see it in full glory; these have bloomed reliably and profusely for many years here. We also have a very reliable and prolific stock of a herbaceous Japanese/Paeonia lactiflora/ that we often offer at our plant sales. In other words, it is possible and even easy to get fantastic blooms in our rather benign climate without putting ice on the plants in winter. Paul Licht, Director University of California Botanical Garden 200 Centennial Drive Berkeley, CA 94720 (510)-643-8999 http://botanicalgarden.berkeley.edu/ > _______________________________________________ > pbs mailing list > pbs@lists.ibiblio.org > http://pacificbulbsociety.org/list.php > http://pacificbulbsociety.org/pbswiki/ >