I used to cut back my perenials but I I stopped doing that. My backyard is covered in spring with an enourmous amount of needles from my neighbours pine tree (a treat for my rhodies but nemesis for some other plants) and oak leaves that often fall after the first snow. So now I just cover my rhodies, azaleas and hydrangeas in burlap, hill up my roses, plant bulbs and bring the pots inside. Then I start thinking about cleaning my house that gets neglected during the growing season LOL.