Another South African native, sparaxis is a tough-as-nails beauty that happily blooms away from spring into early summer. With simple needs - full sun and good drainage - this durable delight will naturalize and spread, adding more flowering plants with each passing year.

Sparaxis grows about a foot tall, making it ideal for front to middle of the garden positions and for containers. Plant where its colorful patterns can be appreciated up close or opt for the confetti look and adorn a distant spot. For less than the cost of a single dinner out with a friend you'll have a perennial traffic stopper that will provide cut flowers, too.

A friend who loves splashy gardens but has a schedule that's tight as a drum has figured it out. She's planted lots of sparaxis and has a dazzling spring display, year after year. While she's ferrying kids around and spending hours in meetings, her gardens look great. Yours could too.