I have had good luck with my fernies. I have 3 blooming heirloom doubles, 3 blooming singles of unknown pedigree (Spring Hill), 1 each of the species singles and doubles and the lithophile ssp. An Early Scout hybrid and a Winchimes hybrid. 1 fernie transplanted as a tiny root which hasn't bloomed yet. I only lost one transplant apparently because I can't find an eye or root where it should be. Any of them can be divided and replanted if the digging is done very carefully. I prefer the hydraulic method of digging a trench outside the root boundary and using pressurized water to move the soil away from the roots. Gentleness is the name of the game. At $30 to $50 per division, it is well worth the extra effort. Looking forward to a great peony year as along with the fernies I have 22 regular peony plants, some are extra divisions of the same original.
