Book  (1999)  Page(s) 58.  
 
Every year the first peony to flower in my garden is 'Early Bird', a well and truly named triple hybrid by Dr. Saunders, dating from 1939. From a hybrid betweeen Paeonia emodi and P. veitchii a further cross was made with P. tenuifolia which has narrow, even thread-like dissections of the foliage, inherited by 'Early Bird'. To this charm is added the same species' rich crimson colouring. It is a
wonderful sight with Narcissus poeticus recurvus.

Magazine  (1961)  Page(s) 46.  
 
We asked him which variety was the first to bloom and he informed us that it was Saunders' Early Bird, a fine descendant of tenuifolia