I love this question - the easy answer is to scrape away the mulch or soil from around your peony roots. When they are planted even a bit too deep they refuse to bloom. Also cut al lthe foliage to the ground in the fall to keep peony blight from growing in the winter. Do not cut down tree peonies, only the more common herbacious peonies. I think you will have peonies next spring if you clear away a bit of soil now. Keep growing, Marianne Binetti