Perennials vs. anuals

You basically have two choices when it comes to plants:

1: Do the garden thing and plant some blooming flowers you bought at the local garden shop at the beginning of Spring. Here are the pros and cons of going the "annual" path depending on what tickles your fancy...

Pros: They are already in bloom and you don't have to do a thing.
You receive instant gratification, don't have to do a thing and can impress your friends quickly. No work on your part for the rest of Spring/Summer. No cutting trimming etc. so more time on the telly. Just the fact that your friends might spot you at the local  garden shop might make you look like a true gardener.....If your friends  are completely ignorant than you will look like you have a "green thumb." This will in turn increase your self-esteem and competitive nature.  Increase in extinct motivation.

Cons: You can hardly put them in vases, so no flower bouquets here (unless you buy them of course).  Next year you will spend more money at the same garden shop and also the year after. You will never be able to enjoy a "true" English garden.... With perennials you don't need to visit the garden shop over and over again. True gardeners will know the drill,  take you serious and be astonished by the fact that you are not a  round the mill "dush bag."A true gardener might be your next boss and smell your "perennial thumb"...Increase in intrinsic motivation and maybe a bit of "respect" with other "green thumbs's".

If you want to use your beautiful perennials in after a frozen Winter, remember you can make plants out of plants.   Take lavender for example. Select a stem close to the ground and scrape it with the blade of a knife:

Next you burry the stem in the ground with plenty of dirt and place a stone on top of it. Water it regularly and check if roots have formed:

If enough roots have formed you can cut the stem below the root, replant in a new space and create a new lavender plant. It is that easy. Nevertheless, more work than going to the local nursery and no instant gratification from your friends...So think about it...
If you want your perennials to bloom more than once and therefore to have fresh flowers in your house throughout late Spring/Summer you will have to cut spent flowers regularly with a pair of scissors.  So you will have to do something...This works with roses and many other perennials...

Decide which path you want to take,  how much work you are willing to put into it and wether fresh flowers really bring you joy...