Treated with care and snipped back, these plants can be helped through the hot summer months to thrive again in the fall. Portulacca, on the other hand, is a fleshy annual which seems to thrive in the hot, dry weather. Zinnias are also heat tolerant and bloom in late summer and fall. Breeders have developed dwarf varieties of zinnias for the small garden. These are better for raised planters than older varieties which tend to get leggy.
Cockscombs come in two different shapes.
Both can be used to add colorful texture to the garden and dried for winter crafts. Coleus are grown primarily for their foliage. Pinch off the floral stalks to help keep the coleus from getting too leggy. Coleus is also popular because it tolerates some shading. Impatiens are also shade tolerant and are often grown in areas of a garden in which more sun-loving plants will not thrive.