Most perennial geraniums self-seed, apart from a few sterile hybrid cultivars. However, the trick is obtaining or purchasing the seed for these plants. The seed is just not readily available. A very pretty plant is our native Geranium maculatum, which can be seed grown after cold-moist stratification. Unless you are experienced growing perennials, especially native ones, I would recommend purchasing your first geraniums (in flower if necessary) so that you can see all their individual characteristics. Geraniums are tough enough to transplant when in flower. Not all plants are this tolerant.

They're annuals for both of us (I'm technically zone 7A) and they hate temperatures under 25 degrees. I do read reports of S. farinacea surviving easy winters, or with plenty of mulch, but it's never happened to me even in my warmer southern face garden. Some people overwinter by lifting, drying a bit, and storing, but I've never tried that. I collect seed from mine (I already started this year) and start them indoors under lights in March. You can also dig up a plant, or plants, pot them, and put them at a sunny windowsill for the winter. Growth and blooming are spotty, but they'll survive and can be transplanted back into the garden once frost is past next spring. On the up side, a few volunteers are possible in many of our gardens--several salvia, both S. splendens and S. farinacea, sprouted randomly in my garden.

The leaf shape and texture doesn't match V plicatum. More like V lantana but I don't know if that's a candidate in that region.

"any other suggestions for perennials - especially ones that will keep some interest to the front of house during our snowy Canadian winters? We're in Zone 5 (USDA) or Zone 6 (Canada)." In the vast majority of cases, perennials will be fully herbaceous, disappearing below the ground for the winter. If you want winter interest, you will need trees and shrubs or something that has a permanent above ground presence.