The woodland peony

Woodland peonies (Paeonia Japonica) provide three season appeal with white flowers in early spring, green foliage throughout the growing seasons, and indigo and scarlet seed pods in the fall.  They prefer shade and grow and naturalize in a deciduous woodland where they get the early spring sun, before the leaves come on the trees, and summer shade. They are supposed to self seed and create sprays of low growing forest ground cover. Ours have been coming back for at least 10 years but they haven't naturalized for some reason

Out of the woods and back looking back across the lower garden in the morning light, everything looks green again.  The oak log stockade is standing firm.

At the other end of the garden the cut grass makes a good backdrop for a selection of spring flowers.