Now's the perfect time to transplant peonies. If this is the first time you've tried digging one up, they'll have a massive root structure. Just try to get it in the biggest pieces you can, and leave the leaves on so you remember where you planted it.

They are surprisingly tough plants. The last time I tried transplanting them, I was sure I murdered half of them, but they all came up the next spring.

Thanks!

Just to be sure, do you know that the "eyes" need to be planted 1-2" below the surface? I'm not sure if new eyes would be developing at this time of the year or not, but if not that would be where the current foliage is coming out of the roots. If they're buried too deep they may only ever bloom a little bit--or not at all. (It's like planting Iris which also need to be at the right depth or won't bloom.)

If I were transplanting some there's one thing I'd probably do differently than what David suggested! I'd be inclined to cut all or virtually all of the foliage off and just clearly mark where they're planted. That way the roots don't have to be wasting energy trying to support the leaves and can spend their time diggin' in at their new home. But I'm sure they'd do just fine either way, and lots of folks around here know I'm inclined to cut things way down when I'm planting/transplanting things!

Keep in mind that when you transplant and/or divide peonies it's gonna take them a couple years to get well enough established to start blooming well again. And, if I'm reading your post right and you're gonna move them again sometime next spring or summer, it'll probably set them back even a little bit more. So if it's possible for you to prepare the permanent place for the peonies and then "work around them" when you're redoing the rest of the bed it should save them some of the "recovery" time. Just something to think about!

The peonies I transplanted a few years back are now to the point where they're fully blooming--and I'm lovin' it!

Isn't it great that the weather has cooled to the point of making it NICE to be out working in the yard again!

Skybird

The leaves flop over almost immediately, its the dead foliage that marks the spot. :-)

Another thing I'm pondering - the ones that have died on me were the ones not planted deep enough - the soil washed off and the crowns dry up - or something.

The last batch I transplanted went into the flower bed thats right is 6-8 inches of fill dirt over an old river-rock/gravel driveway. I don't know how deep the roots will get.