Some of mine are just now coming up from the soil. Which this year is good. Try and remember what you purchased and look at one of the growers lists to see if it is listed as a early, mid, or late season plant. Some of the very late season plants will not emerge until late April early May depending on the soil conditions. Take the fir bough off.

The seasonal emergence is one of the reasons some tree peony and early herbaceaous are planted on the north or east side of a building or evergreen planting because the soil does not warm up as soon and hopefully miss the freezes that would kill the flowers.

Also, sometimes they are just slower to show up their first spring. A couple of mine just came up right before a week of cold weather, & I'm the southern end of zone 6. I think they came through it okay, but be grateful if yours aren't up yet :)

Our peonies didn't show here until the daffodils were already bloomed and spent. They really came up as the tulips started blooming. Now some of the buds are getting quite big. They should bloom is maybe a week or two. I think you still have a ways to go before they peek through. Its soo cold up there still :(

Maifleur, Ngraham and Jqpublic,
Thanks so much for your replies. You've given me hope!

Maifleur, thanks for your suggestion to check the season. I think this must be the "problem". According to the mobot.org plantfinder, my 'Sarah Bernhardt' is a late bloomer.

I'm very excited about this plant. I've had peonies in past gardens that had been planted by previous owners. This is the first that is ALL MINE, and I was afraid I'd screwed it up before it even poked out of the ground!

PattiOh

If it's any consolation, I planted a peony last fall that also has yet to emerge. Worried that I did something wrong, I consulted with some experienced growers who assured me that given all of the cold weather it's not surprising that my peony is still dormant.

I know the feeling though!

I was worried about my peonies that I planted last fall. All of the other flowers were coming up, and my peonies still looked dead.

But buds started emerging from the ground a week or two ago, so they're okay. I have a Festiva Maxima and a Bowl of Beauty. I can't remember if they're early or late bloomers, though.

It'll come up. Take the branches off of them and let them go. I'm not sure where you are but I'm in zone 5 too. Most of mine are up but I've got a few slow starters. I hate to admit this but last year I had to dig up most of my plants to put in a side walk next to the house and do some other stone work in the yard and the mason kind of was slow getting started and finishing. So.... many of plants spent the winter only somewhat covered and many above ground and just covered with soil. Well, they all came back with no problems, with the exception of a few cone flowers that might be history. If possible, make sure they are getting full sun. The love nice rich soil and the sun!

It's alive! It's ALIVE!!!!
(maniacal laughter and happy dance)

Thanks everyone!

PattiOH