I usually hang out on the Rose list, but I've got a Peony question today.
I've got a crowded garden (20 feet X 150 feet) in a New York City park.
I have a lot of roses, but I love peonies too. The problem is that roses
continue to bloom throughout the summer, while the particular peonies that
I have (pretty red ones without a name that I can remember) bloom only
once.

I get annoyed with peony greens in the middle of July. Maybe it's more
bored than annoyed. They are very pretty plants, but their blooms are gone,
and they smother other plants (roses) while not doing anything but looking
pretty and green.

I don't want to appear disrespectful, but...daffodils and tulips can be
cut back within a few weeks of their blooms becoming wrinkled shadows
of their former selves. Can one cut peony greens at some time before
the middle of August?

I admit that I am revealing much of my ignorance in this post, and I will
own it and will be really grateful for all that you can tell me about this
conundrum.

On a slightly different track, I've done some research on dividing peonies,
and I will be trying it soon, but would love some tough love talk about
that process too.
David

When peonies are in bloom, you can take 1/3 of the stems (the top 22 inches or so) without a negative effect. So they can be thinned out, though doing it in the high heat of summer probably isn't the best of times to put stress on a plant.

I should also say that this is book knowledge - I've not taken stems from a peony just yet.

My (largely) book knowledge about dividing peonies...

After the first hard frost, cut the stems down to 2" and allow the plant rest for about 2 weeks. It is thought that this allows it time to make the eyes a bit more evident.

After a few weeks pass, dig the peony by carefully working around the plant - once loose, use a garden fork to lever the root out of the ground.

Wash the root well with water. You are doing this so you can better see the root system.

Let the root sit for about 2 hours - it will become 'relaxed' and easier to work with. While it rests, examine the root and plan your divisions - you are looking to have sections with 3 to 5 eyes while having a good sized root to act as stored energy. There is no reason you cannot use a marker here.

Use a sharp, clean knife or cutter to make the divisions - cut away all of the smaller trailing roots. At this point you should plan on returning the roots to the ground in their new homes or store them in a medium like peat moss.

Top

IMHO nothing compares to peony in the vase, even roses. Fragrance, size, colors.

It is true that peonies are rather boring most of the summer, but you can inter plant them with nice summer and fall blooming perennials - just choose the varieties which are higher than peony foliage. I would love to grow roses a lot, but constantly limiting myself because their finicky character - they need pampering all time - bugs and caterpillars love them, they need fertilizer frequently, fungicide spraying, they need watering and winter protection. I do not not use Round-Up in my garden.

All I have to do for peonies - cut the foliage in the fall and stake some (but not all !!!) if they are face-in-the-mud varieties ( and I avoid them mostly ). Sit down and enjoy.

Deadheading and all work in garden is nice, but sometimes I feel that I do not need to spend a few hours a day in the garden. And when I go out for a week or month I do not worry about my peonies.

Back to your question - you can cut a little bit of foliage (15-20%) if it bothers you. You can do it when you cut flowers for the vase - after 3rd year in the ground. And you are perfectly within your rights to get rid of foliage once it starts to look ugly - dry, yellow or molded closer to the fall.