Peggy G
The bedding types are true perennials but will live as annuals in most gardens but in your Zone they may well survive. For hardy perennials there is Impatiens omeiana with yellow flowers it spreads by underground runners. Impatiens arguta would do well for you. This plant is my introduction. Its from China does well with my heat (central valley CA) and is said to survive down to 1F coming back from its root. The flowers are the nearest to blue that I have seen. I resently saw someone sell it on ebay as well. If your area has cool summers the options are more open to you.

Impatiens walleriana (or the common buzy-lizzies) are perennials in all frost-free areas, so long as they don't get scorched by direct tropical sun or beaten to pulp by the damaging tropical storms.

Thanks for the information. We have hot summers, in the 80 & 90 degree range. We do get a damaging tropical storm from time to time. Some years we get a freeze and some years we don't. The site I'm looking at is in shade with filtered sun. It is rare for us to go below 26 degrees. Guess I'll start out with the locally avaliable varieties and keep an eye out for the varieties you both mentioned. Is one color more vigorious than others? Sorry about the typo...perennials is what I wanted to type. Thanks.

I guess most impatiens sold in the nuseries are buzy-lizzies or the New Guinea impatiens. The former is easier to grow, in my opinion. Buzy-lizzies are usually planted in public gardens or parks in cooler places, grown as annuals for the warmer months. Both are perennials in frost-free climates. In Florida you might find them as winter annuals though. Rgds

Does anyone know the trick to germinating seeds of Impatiens glandulifera? To date mine do not seem to be willing to cooperate.

Taxo
Impatiens glandulifera likes to have a cold spell to sprout. They are hardy in Canada and grow very well in San Francisco, so maybe they really like to go through a season not just a cold spell.