For me, in zone 7b the Winters are mild but I have a few things that I do to keep my perennial beds looking good.

Compost - Each Spring I weed the beds and turn in a generous amount of compost from the compost pile. This helps aerate the soil and of course give the plants plenty of Nitrogen and Phosphorous for blooming.

Mulch - Even in our mild climate, the soild dries out during the summer. I always put some nice fine mulch on early in the Spring and then again in late Fall to protect the base of the plants fro mlight frosts.

Weed and Deadhead - This goes without saying, but it makes the sifference between a nice bed and an amazing bed of perennials.

My effort this year is to mix annuals in with the perennials and see how the colors change during the year!

Regards,

Joe