Epilobium?

Best (and only) answer so far, but a quick look at pictures of Epilobium don't look right.
The main stalk is fleshy...

This post was edited by DavidNale on Sat, Mar 8, 14 at 15:06

How about Lythrum then?

there is a Paeonia tenuifolia (which I haven`t grown myself), but I am afraid, the leaves are somewhat too coarse on your plant.

You have us all puzzled and bewildered, it is a weird plant one would easily remember or recognize.

I think the stems are to fleshy/ thick for Lythrum.

If nothing helpful comes up, you could post pics in 3 weeks of the foliage, that could be easier to ID.

Well, good luck, bye, Lin

The majority opinion, taking responses from here and elsewhere, seems to be some sort of peony.
A suggestion concerning asking the Head Gardener of Hogwarts is a classic... Any of you have his number? Or, for that matter, that of the Propmaster 0f Little Shop of Horrors.
Stay tuned... It continues to grow and a person on GardenWeb thinks identification will be easier once the foliage appears and/or the thing blooms.
(I could ask the previous owner, but that sort-of takes the fun out of it.)

Peony (new growth) ?

Last picture, first row.

Here is a link that might be useful: Peony, new growth

Spring shoots of Euphorbia spp..
Here's an example (not necessarily this species); see second photo down in this link:
http://dangergarden.blogspot.ca/2012/03/spring-if-only-for-few-days.html

My money would be on Euphorbia, possibly E griffithii 'Fireglow', a widely grown one.

This post was edited by floral_uk on Mon, Mar 10, 14 at 8:49

The E griffithii would explain the growth pattern of the stems or distribution in the border, as they spread by short rhizomes.

For Paronias the shoots are somehow not clumped enough.

I'm with Flora I think she nailed it :).

I agree with Euphorbia griffithii 'Fireglow'. Now that I have a name to search, I am finding pictures that strongly resemble what I have growing.
This was my first posting on this forum and I am impressed with how well it has worked.
Many thanks to you all for your suggestions.
I will add pictures to this thread as the plant grows.