There are not many plants less demanding than peonies! They are hardy and long-lived. Their bloom time is short, but I find the leaves stay healthy and full, making a nice foil for later blooming plants. They do get powdery mildew late in the season, but that's purely aesthetic and by then it's usually time to cut them down to the ground anyway. (Watering early in the day or keeping irrigation water off the leaves does help deter PM. I have also found Serenade Garden Spray effective against many bacterial and fungal diseases - it's a beneficial bacteria, OMRI-approved, and Bayer has just come out with the same produce under the label "Natria.")

Please explain why you feel yours are "messy" and how they look "awful" after flowering.

your maintenance work is good,but maple,juniper,bush are more easy,I add some for you.
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