klknibb! It could be just bad roots. I have a couple bad peonies that do not develop at all. I still keep them in a flower bed hoping that they will start growing. I think at one point I will just throw them away. They were bought in cheap places and I have enough other good peonies that develop and get better every year. Try to give them some more space, peonies do not like root competition, I wold remove all other vegetation around peonies, at least 16" around the center of a peony. Good luck!