Frankly, the vast majority of my peonies have THRIVED on neglect. So, I have no clue what you are talking about. In the fall, rush off to your nearest high quality nursery and get yourself either a 'Karl Rosenfeld' or 'Sarah Bernhardt' peony and you will be hooked! The smell, the effortless beauty and the fact that you can mow them down as a previous poster said is absolutely true.
Here is a link that might be useful: Basic Peony Knowledge - Or Getting Started!
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Peonies
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