Verbena spreads low and wide in sun, trailing or mounding depending on the variety, and keeps flowering steadily from planting through fall without much fussing. The blooms come in jewel tones and pastels, drawing butterflies while tolerating heat and thin soil better than most annuals.

Space plants 12 to 18 inches apart in beds or let them spill over a pot edge. Water in during dry spells but don't baby them—they're tougher than they look.