I have heard rumors of people in the bay area putting buckets of ice on their peonies in the winter, to bring the tempterature down sufficiently. In Seattle this is not exactly a problem.... BTW we have a native species of peony on the east side of the Cascades; it's a single brown and yellow flower; evidently rather difficult to grow. It tends to show up under the shelter of shrubs. Bob Beer bbeer@u.washington.edu http://weber.u.washington.edu/~bbeer ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Safe upon the solid rock the ugly houses stand: | Edna St. Come and see my shining palace built upon the sand! | Vincent Millay