Ice plant makes a low, succulent carpet just a few inches tall, covered in glossy pink daisy-like blooms from spring into fall. The flowers open with the sun and draw butterflies and hummingbirds all season.

It asks for full sun and fast drainage, and in Birmingham the drainage matters most in winter, when cold, soggy clay is harder on it than any summer drought. Plant it in raised beds, rock gardens, slopes, or gravelly strips, and it will spread into a tough, waterwise groundcover.