Petunia

Although these are lovely in both color and scent, I am not a fan of petunias generally... They're annual plants, only good for one season and then they die. I prefer to invest my gardening time and money in perennials which will return year after year-- "workhorse" plants. At the very least I expect an annual in my gardens to self-seed and perpetuate itself that way -- like California Poppies, Honesty Plant, or Chives. (Petunias do not self-seed.)

Of course, annuals tend to make a bigger show -- bigger flowers, brighter colors, longer bloom-time. They splash into a garden making their presence known, taking up space, promoting themselves as the main attraction. But they have no staying power. Come back next year and they will be gone, you might find a withered leaf or a dried out root but that's it. Meanwhile the perennials grow steadily. Returning year after year beautiful and dependable they provide the framework in most gardens, the background against which annuals flaunt themselves.

If life is a garden are we dependable perennials, or splash-and-dash petunias?