Want a plant that laughs at the heat? Hybrid purslane is absolutely flame-proof. Give it basic care (good soil, full sunlight and ample moisture), and it will thrive from now until mid-fall. Best of all, it will keep producing these cheery quarter-sized flowers all the while.

Nurseries offer hybrid purslane in pots and hanging baskets, and it's available from May all the way through the summer. You can plant it at any time, and you'll never have to fear that it will be too tender to go into your beds. This baby is tough!

Choose from a wide range of colors. Red, rose red, pink, yellow, orange, lavender and white all are available, as are striking bicolors. Combine two or three colors into a bed, as you see in this handsome landscape. Be sure, however, that they grown habits and heights are essentially the same. Some types tend to stay more prostrate than others.

Did you know? Hybrid purslane has two common relatives. One is moss rose (portulaca), and the other is a barnyard weed (plain old purslane).