We need to know where you are (state, zone, nearest big city), but even without that, it looks like your peony has been baked. Stone mulch may look nice, but those stones stay hot well into the evening, so the plant didn't get a chance to cool off. It's hard to tell from your picture, but either the peony is still in a too small planter, or it's surrounded by plastic or landscape fabric, either of which prevent air and water from reaching the ground, which doesn't leave much for your plant's roots to grow into. Get yourself another fern-leafed peony, plant it in a better site in the fall, and your sweet cat will still be remembered.

Mine goes dormant in the heat of summer. I agree with above that where/how you have it planted is not ideal. It's possible it will come back up in the spring, but if it were me and it does come back, I'd move it or get the hot stones away from it, etc......

I live in Des Moines, IA. What is the likelihood that it will return next year? I feel so stupid for messing this up.

all the rock.. and the brick hold heat deep into the night.. not allowing the usual cooling off and recovery period of night ...

you are cooking it ... it is severely stressed ....

just as an aside.. fert is not a response to stress ... so dont go there ....

ive had to replant the same memorial 3 times ... its not the plant itself.. that really matters ... its the labor of love ...

and btw ... ferns are some of the easiest plants to grow .. you might want to go in that direction ...

ken

Don't feel stupid; as ken always says, you can't call yourself a gardener until you've killed each plant at least three times. We've all done this, in one way or the other.

Of all the plants that I didn't want to die, this was the one. I am praying that it miraculously perks up or comes back next year.

Besides taking the advice above for caring for your Fern Peony, don't get discouraged. I received some advice years ago that turned out to be the most valuable advice that I have ever received. When you plant a perennial, the first year it roots, the second year it grows and the third year it blooms. That has kept me from giving up on a lot of plants that did come back and turned out to be really great! Many times, I have been just delighted when the plant bloomed the first year as often happens, but I never count on it, so it is a surprise when it does. I am currently enjoyed a lovely garden just planted last year! :)