CYNARA - keeping year to year?

[Hyacinth]

I planted a border of cynara, fresh from seed, this year in a client's garden. I know that it can be kept as a perennial but think  that it's always looked..well, a bit straggly, lanky & ugly as it matures and grows. Client agrees.

It's also cheap to buy annually if that's what's necessary to keep a low bushy plant with those attractive silver-grey leaves before it starts flowering and treat it strictly as an annual,  grown for leaf only.

Is it possible to keep the existing plants in this attractive state? And to do so for her, what must I now do? Cut it to ground level for new growth next spring? Take out the growing shoots now to prevent it from flowering? Or do I just suggest that I take it up and we start again next season?

[Hyacinth]

[Eristic]

Cut all this years stems down to ground level. New shoots will grow from base to make a better plant next year.

[Hyacinth]

Thanks a lot 8) That's Wednesday's job sorted, then!