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Last July I had several packets of fresh paeony seed from Phedar.com. I've grown paeonies from seed before, and while results have been OK, the seeds haven't been that fresh, and they've taken till the second spring to come up. The fresh seed is coming up already. I'll definitely be going back to him this year!

I love paeonies, I've never tried to grow them from seed before.

I found some pink ones in B&Q today 'Shirley Temple' for about £1.20 - they're selling off all their spring planting bulbs/roots at half price.

Mind you, if you're growing your own you don't need them!
What kind are you growing?

Mostly species. I've got a few hybrids, but I'm not sure of the names. I like species, with the simpler flowers, so I've been planting a few every year. None of them have flowered yet, but they're getting there.

I didn't know about the different forms, I've just had a look online. How many years does it take to get them to flowering stage?

I prefer the blousy ones myself. Usually I like simpler, wild forms of things, but when it comes to peonies somehow I love the ruffles. They look like roses in 18th C still lifes.

Areound 3-4 years from germination. I doubt whether the hybrids come true, though I might be wrong. You could have fun saving seed and seeing what came up, but you'd have to give some space to it long-term.

It's not something I grow.  They seem very old-fashioned to me, like red hot pokers and lupins, or borders in general really.  Are they making a come-back or did they never go out of fashion?

They did go out of fashion. Not that I care, I like growing old-fashioned plants. The species were never fashionable anyway.

Phedar excellent...his Paeony and Hellebore seed are superb.

Old-fashioned is exactly how I like my gardens!