Poppies from the Champagne Bubbles strain bring the kind of papery-thin, delicate-looking petals that catch every breeze and seem lit from within. Plant in late fall before the soil freezes solid, and you'll have flowers ahead of most of the garden come spring.

They want well-draining ground and a sunny spot—no fussing once they're settled. Direct sow where you want them to grow; poppies don't transplant kindly, but the effort here is minimal.