I've about given up on annuals and veggies--we just seem to have too extreme of weather--super dry and then super heavy rain, then super dry again--and basically had winter until mid-April this year! Plus with 2 artificial knees and having to wear a Rx strength compression hose due to chronic blood clot in leg I find it too hard to be in the heat or do the weeding I would need to do. One of our local extensionists says that when we are young and maybe renting our house, we plant annuals for the most "bang for our buck"; in mid-life we plant perenials as we want a longer term investment, are more likely to own our homes, and want to be able to work hard for shorter periods of time; as we get older to opt for bushes as we want something that is even less work commitment! I'm at that bush stage! LOL!