I have yet to have a successful season with my peonies.  

Some creature likes to nip them off right before they bloom.  

I think it might be a squirrel...last summer I happen to see one 

dashing along the top of the fence 

with a rose (in full bloom) in between it's teeth.  

It looked like it was off to woo it's lady squirrel.  It was hilarious.  

Anyway, this year my peonies have more buds than ever, 

and I'm hoping that they all won't get whisked away.

The other night the boys and I were weeding my flower beds.
I happened to notice that several of my peony buds had the tops bitten off.
This was new garden pest.

Then I saw this guy.
He smiled at me, and sure enough he had the top of a peony bud in his mouth.
Every time I turned my back he went running to sneak another bite.
And I've caught him with azalea blooms in his mouth, and several of my iris buds as well.  

He's a stinker, this one.