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'Lady Alexandra Duff' peony References
Website/Catalog  (1916)  Page(s) 5.  
 
Lady Alexandra Duff. The true variety. There has probably been more controversy over this variety than any other, as the originator sent out many other varieties under this name. Immense blooms. French pink shading to flesh color in the center. A very fine variety and well worth the attention called to it. $25.00 each.
Website/Catalog  (1915)  Page(s) 33.  
 
Peonies of English Origin
Sent out by Kelway & Son
It has been almost impossible to secure these varieties true to name. Those offered in this list are varieties which have been thoroughly tested and found to be not only distinct from the French varieties but of special merit. Nearly all have been described and are listed in the American Peony Society's bulletins. To these have been added some of their most recent introductions that have been grown and tested here.
LADY ALEXANDRA DUFF. For a number of years this much-sought-for Peony has been practically out of the trade, and at the present time only a few plants of the true variety are in existence. After repeated attempts we received the present stock from Kelway & Son, accompanied by a series of photographs showing the bloom and habit of the plant in all stages, so that, without doubt, the plants we offer are the true variety. It is an immense, cup-shaped flower, with extremely wide, imbricated petals. Young plants not well established, and the side buds produce water-lily-shaped blooms showing a center of yellow stamens. The terminal buds on established plants, however, produce immense, full-double flowers. The color of the outer petals is pale rose, gradually shading lighter toward the center to a rosy white. Highly perfumed. $25.
Website/Catalog  (1913)  Page(s) 7.  
 
Lady Alexandra Duff, No. 9. [Kelway.]
Very large bloom flesh pink fading to a delicate fleshy cream white in the centre. The outside petals are large and rounded of perfect form. This paeony is distinct from any other paeony I have, and is first class every way. I call it No. 9 because there has been about eight other varieties sent to America for this variety previously. $25.00 for small root.
Website/Catalog  (1912)  Page(s) 12.  
 
Kelway's Peonies.
Kelway, of England, has produced some very fine varieties, such as Baroness Schroeder, James Kelway, Lady Alexandra Duff, and various other sorts.
Lady Alexandra Duff. A most magnificent bloom, very large, delicate flesh pink fading to a creamy-white in the center; outside petals large and rounded, of perfect form, tinted with light pink when first opening; very highly perfumed. The plant is a strong robust grower but does not produce perfect flowers until it has become thoroughly established. The most beautiful flower in my entire collection. Every plant guaranteed absolutely true to name. Good division, $5.00. One-year undivided, $8.00.
Website/Catalog  (1912)  
 
What I know about Peony Lady Alexandra Duff.
In the year 1903 I sent to Kelway & Son for five plants. They flowered only imperfectly the following year, but I was afraid on account of these imperfect flowers that they were wrong. I immediately wrote them to send me five more plants in my shipment of that year. The next year, when the first five were two years old, they produced flowers of Festiva maxima. The second lot flowered well in 1904, and I showed them at the exhibition of the Massachusetts Horticultural Society in June, and they awarded me a first-class certificate for them.

At the rose show of this same socirety, which followed the peony show in one week, Messrs. T. C. Thurlow & Son showed a peony under that name which they had imported from Kelway & Son, which I had on my grounds under two names—one imported from Kelway & Son in the year 1901 as Princess of Wales, and another one as James Kelway, later. I also have had the same peony from another grower in America as the James Kelway. At the last peony show William Whitman's gardener of Brookline, Mass., showed a Duchesse de Nemours (Calot) under the name of Lady Alexandra Duff, imported direct from Kelway & Son.

To sum it up, we have first Festiva maxima; second, Grandiflora nivea, an old variety of 1825—for this is the second variety which I received and which was awarded the first-class certifivate by the Massachusetts Horticultural Society in 1904; third, we have the one sent Thurlow & Son, which I already had as Princess of Wales and James Kelway; fourth, we have the old variety of Duchesse de Nemours (Calt) which was sent to Mr. Whitman.

Here are three old varieties renamed and sent out as Lady A. Duff—and two varieties of his own growing—Princess of Wales and James Kelway, also as Lady A. Duff. All this time Kelway & Son are saying the stock is nearly exhausted, but for our money they are shipping this stuff.

I am led to the conclusion that there is no such peony as Lady Alexander Duff, or Lady A. Duff, as it was first called. It has been, probably, a renaming of an old French variety from the very beginning, and when one variety runs short select another and so continue the fraud.

E. J. Shaylor.
Wellesley Hills, Mass.
Book  (Apr 1907)  Page(s) 74.  
 
745. DUFF, LADY ALEXANDRA; P. . . (Kelway, 1902)
(1) 1902, Kelway's Cat. Fewkes' MSS.
(2) 1906, Horticulture, June 23.
(3) Cornell Plot No. 1700.
 
Book  (1907)  Page(s) 41-42.  
 
Lady Alexandra Duff. Kelway's myth. We give place to one of our foremost eastern growers:
"What I Know About Peony Lady Alexandra Duff.—In the year 1901 I sent to Kelway & Son for five plants. They flowered only imperfectly the following year, but I was afraid on account of these imperfect flowers that they were wrong. I immediately wrote them to send me five more plants in my shipment of that year. The next year, when the first five were two years old, they produced flowers of Festiva Maxima. The second lot flowered well in 1904, and I showed them at the exhibition of the Massachusetts Horticultural Society in June, and they awarded me a first class certificate for them. At the rose show of this same society, which followed the peony show in one week, Messrs. T. C. Thurlow & Son showed a peony under that name, which they had imported from Kelway & Son, which I had on my grounds under two names—one imported from Kelway & Son in the year 1901 as Princess of Wales, and another one as James Kelway, later. I also have had the same peony from another grower in America as the James Kelway. At the last peony show William Whitman's gardener, of Brookline, Mass., showed a Duchesse de Nemours (Calot) under the name of Lady Alexandra Duff, imported direct from Kelway & Son. To sum it up, we have first Festiva Maxima; second, Grandiflora Nivea, an old variety of 1825—for this is the second variety which I received and which was awarded the first-class certificate by the Masachusetts Horticultural Society in 1904; third, we have the one sent Thurlow & Son, which I already had as Princess of Wales and James Kelway; fourth, we have the old variety of Duchesse De Nemours (Calot) which was sent to Mr. Whitman. Here are three old varieties re-named and sent out as Lady A. Duff, and two varieties of his own growing. Princess of Wales and James Kelway, also as Lady A. Duff. All this time Kelway & Son are saying the stock is nearly exhausted, but for our money they are shipping this stuff. I am led to the conclusion that there is no such peony as Lady Alexandra Duff, or Lady A. McDuff, as it was first called. It has been, probably, a re-naming of an old French variety from the very beginning, and when one variety runs short select another and so continue the fraud. E. J. Shaylor, Peony Specialist"
Wellesley Hills, Mass.
On the supposition that this was the finest peony on earth, we sent in our money, and on comparing notes at the Boston show, we found that seven different varieties had been sent out under that name. In my own case I got an inferior, little, 10-cent, single one. Mr. Shaylor had booked several orders at $10 per root, my order with the rest, when he found, to his satisfaction, he had no such peony.
Website/Catalog  (1903)  Page(s) 3.  
 
KELWAY’S LATEST INTRODUCTIONS OF DOUBLE HERBACEOUS PAEONIES
Lady Alexander Macduff, lovely French white; grand, highly perfumed; first class ctf. $5.50.
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