"Pen" wrote in message
om...
You might have botrytis. Remove the dead branches and leaves. If you
compost the leaves and branches, don't use it on your peony.
Sometimes compost hasn't aged enough and botrytis gets on your peony
that way. When adding compost or manure in future, put it about a
foot around the shrub so it's not in direct contact with the shrub.
Sunlight is the best thing for the healthy branches.

A foot of manure seem a bit extravagant to me.