Your snapdragons will attract butterflies and add striking color and a vertical line to the garden with their spikes of flowers. The tube-shaped flowers bloom in nearly every color imaginable and grow to heights ranging from four inches to three feet, depending on the variety.

Snapdragons are cool season bloomers and Texas gardeners should set the plants out by the end of November, allowing the plants to start blooming during winter and early spring.

• Locate your snapdragon in a sunny spot with well-draining soil. Space the plants 10 to 14 inches apart, digging each hole about as deep as and slightly wider than the plant’s container. Water the area thoroughly and cover with a two- to four-inch layer of mulch to help regulate soil temperatures and retain moisture.

• Water the newly planted snapdragons regularly for the first two to four weeks after they are transplanted. Gardeners with sandy soil should water the plants daily. After the snapdragons become established, only water the plants when the top 1 inch of soil feels dry. Over-watering snapdragons can stunt their growth.

• Pinch the plants back after they bloom to encourage a second bloom. With the right conditions, snapdragons may continue blooming until the weather heats up.