The rain—days and days of it I couldn't help welcoming, even if it did put some of my beds under an inch and a half of water—did in the fuschia and striped fuschia and white tree peonies, though the bushes themselves have thrived since I removed half the back yard trees owing to ant infestations.

shot of a tree peony blossom. Perhaps 5 inches across?

The white tree peony, opening just a couple of days later, has grown the most, and its blooms have been, at least in my opinion, just lovely.

photographed 16may06, (and they still look great a week later) 1/3 + e.v. 1/187th sec, f4.4

file originally created 22may06; tags updated 19may22, 22may22 peony tag, grammatical edits.

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