Tough Enough to Thrive in Poor, Dry soil 
Four o'clocks (need a warm spot)
Irises
Asters
Nasturtiums
Morning glories
Flax
Chrysler Imperial rose
Mallows
Russian sage
Hollyhocks

Flowers Even I Can Start from Seed
Blue flax
Morning glories
Four o'clocks
Nasturtiums

Pretty Enough to Get By on Looks Alone
Fuschia
Columbine
Delphinium
Lisianthus

OK in Hot Patio Containers
Salvia
Rose moss (portulaca)
New Guinea impatiens

Food for the Birds
Crabapple tree (all)
Morning glory (hummingbirds)
Crocosmia (hummingbirds)
Brown's honeysuckle (hummingbirds)

For Butterflies and Moths
Butterfly bush
Butterfly weed
Lamb's ear

Winter Color (yes, in Northern Nevada!)
Christmas rose and Lenten rose (evergreen; late winter bloom)
Sea thrift (evergreen; spent flowers almost as attractive as live ones)
Creeping myrtle (evergreen ground cover)
Emerald arborvitae (doesn't turn brown like other arborvitaes)
Johnny-jump-ups (bloom in January)
Kerria (green stems)
Dogwood (red stems)
Yucca (evergreen)
Penstemon (evergreen foliage; cut off flower stalks)
Laurel bush (evergreen)
Euonymous (evergreen)
Yew (evergreen)

Scent
Honeysuckle
Tea roses
Rabbitbrush (stems)
Laurel bush
Irises
Peonies
Grape hyacinths

Fertile Myrtles
Actually, I don't think myrtles are especially fertile, but it rhymes. Grow the following plants if you have space to fill and don't mind pulling out plants that sprout where you don't want them:
Flax (seeds)
Mallows (seeds)
Four o'clocks (seeds)
Butterfly weed (seeds)
Gaillardia (seeds)
Penstemon (seeds and roots)
Irises (rhizomes)
Grape hyacinths (bulbs)
Mexican evening primroses (seeds and roots)
Hollyhocks (seeds)

Intense Color (that can be seen from the street)
Blue veronica
Moss rose
Red snapdragons
Lobelia

Salt Tolerant
Greasewood (native)
Rabbitbrush (native)
Salt grass (native)
Yucca (native)
Others might survive but will be dwarfed.