There are lots of reference books out there that will give you much more detailed plant information so you're better informed about what you plant in your flowerbeds. By far the most highly-recommended book is Tracy DiSabato-Aust's The Well-Tended Perennial Garden but I've found several others that provide reliable information. Two that I keep close to hand are Perennials for Every Purpose by Larry Hodgson and another published by Ortho called The Complete Perennials Book. Both have allowed me to better plan my flowerbeds & maximize the expected results from year to year.

It's been my experience that some cultivars hit the garden centers long before their garden performance is assured, among them coreopsis and rudbeckia. One coreopsis that seems hardy & grows to larger proportions in my beds each year is C. 'Zagreb.'

Gaillardia/blanket flower has been borderline hardy in my Zone 6 garden even when grown from seed via winter sowing so I'm glad when it reappears in Spring but not entirely surprised when it doesn't. The same cannot be said of foxglove--it doesn't do well here so I don't bother/waste time trying to grow it. I'm not surprised the hollyhocks I grew from seed didn't return this year but was a bit disappointed when established butterfly bushes and false indigo plants failed to come up this spring.

Some perennial plants are just naturally short-lived so it's best to research them and plan your garden beds with that in mind. Setting realistic goals and expectations is something else to be factored into the equation. My initial goal was attracting bees, butterflies & birds which I've succeeded in doing altho' not without a number of disappointments along the way. FWIW, there's a saying that goes something like 'you aren't a real gardener until you've killed every plant at least three times.'

I agree. You just need to do your research on specific plants before you purchase. Some perennials tend to be extremely short-lived, lasting only a few years at best. And some can live for generations.

It is also important to understand that not all perennials will do equally well in different parts of the country - high summer humidity, high heat, excessive winter moisture or even frequent summer rains can limit the lifespan of a plant in one area that typically lives on for years in another.

Thank you for the prompt responses, the info, and the book recommendations.

I have had fellow gardeners tell me, "the secret to having a beautiful garden is to keep buying new plants," but I think this, "you aren't a real gardener until you've killed every plant at least three times," is my new favorite saying!

I have a zip loc bag full of plant tags from most of the plants I've bought over the past 8 years. I don't even want to look thru those tags and see how many perennials are now dead and gone. I've forgotten more than I can remember. Many of them didn't even make it 2 seasons!

For example, I bought a Sedum "Xenox" from Santa Rosa a couple years ago, has nice purple crimson foliage. It died over the first winter. Contacted them last Spring and they sent a replacement, planted it in a new spot, close to where several other Sedum like Autumn Joy and Matrona are thriving. It proceeded to die over the summer. Gave up on that cultivar.

This happens a lot and I've gotten sick of it. So I'm experimenting with growing interesting-looking cultivars from seed. A lot of them don't grow particularly well either! But at least I'm not losing as much money.

Biennials are different from perennials. I don't think the term biennial is popular because casual gardening customers that learn it takes two years from seed for the plant to bloom, then it dies, often turn away from them. (The reason for the glut of Foxy foxgloves, that bloom during their first season, at the garden centers.)

As stated by others, perennials can behave very differently in various growing areas. Here, Gaillardia fanfare grows year-round and one of mine is at least 8 years old. And some of the dependable perennials that come back stronger year after year elsewhere, fade away for lack of a cold winter quickly.

Maybe you could join a local gardening club? Gardeners often have free starter plants to share from perennials that thrive in the area and need dividing. I always have stuff to share, ranging all the way from extra bulbs to trees, and containers, too. [And too few customers, sadly. I hate just throwing plants away! :-( ]