Solved What is it and how do I care for it?

I think these two are the same kind of plant...



They flowered a few weeks ago (lovely flowers actually) but they died quickly and now it looks discoloured and in bad shape.

Can you identify it and do I need to do any cutting back etc at this point? I'd like it to grow back but more emphatically next year if possible!

 

It looks like a peony to me, not sure what is wrong with it though
I don’t normally cut them back yet but.......In this case I think I would.

 

Looks like botrytis or similar disease to me.

If mine I would cut off every affected leaf even if it means total defoliation. Clear away all debris and scrape away top of soil. I would apply a granular feed and then mulch to cover affected soil area. That’s what I would do but......

Trouble is it will, over time, affect flowering so I would make sure the peony has plenty of air movement (so nearby plants aren’t smothering it) and sun. By removing the foliage at this time of year you are depriving it of its ability to “feed” itself and flower as well as it could next year. Your choice Cardinal-Red
.

 

Thanks guys.

The flowers those 2 produced this year were lovely but scarce. There has been no cutting back or care of the plant for 3 summers now. So I guess a full reset is in order.

Verdun - do you mean cut just the leaves off, leaving the stems, or cut right back to the ground?

 

Stems left without leaves would be pointless Cardinal-Red so cut all affected stems and leaves to the ground