I would not cut them back. Make sure they have adequate water this fall, all the way through freeze up. Once the ground is frozen (usually around Thanksgiving time), cover your plants with some leaves, hay or straw. Then, lets hope we have some good snow cover this winter. That is all you need to do.

PP

Thank you so much perrenialprincess! You not only have helped me, but my neighbor too. I'm going right outside and water them thoroughly now. Thanks again.

My ESummers have done very well this spring and summer. They get morning and afternoon sun with a break in-between.
No-don't cut them back, they bloom on old and new wood.
Yes-mulch the crown. I put a 40lb bag of good soil over the crown. I did the same last yr and didn't have any kill off.
It took 2 years for them to really shine. I keep them evenly moist with a heavy organic soil.
If the leaves are still green and you still have blooms, give it a good shot of water, no fertilizer, to prepare it for winter.
They also really love a lot of acid. I use pine needles as part of their compost. I think success with them depends on patience, good location and even moisture.
I think they have problems when there are in so much light the plant gets distressed.