butterflies in november

I bought some flowers toward the end of the summer. Four gorgeous red verbena plants. And, of course, they died. Well, they wilted beyond repair, anyway. I thought I did everything right. I didn't over water; I didn't underwater. I fertilized, but not too much. They got full sun, as required. But I have this gift for ruining plants.

So, when they were completely dead-looking, I cut them back. All but one of them, which was starting to bloom again. I treated all 4 of these plants the same way - same watering, same fertilizer, same soil, same sunlight. But 3 of them are gone & 1 is flourishing. I took this picture of it today at lunchtime. You may not be able to see it, but there is a butterfly enjoying my anomaly of a plant.


Why can't the other 3 look like this one???

HELP!!!

I have the brownest thumb EVER. I bought these flowers a couple of weeks ago, and look at them! What is my problem? I water them whenever the soil is dry. When it rains, of course I don't water them. There is fertilizer in the soil. They perk up when I water them, but am I watering them too much? What did I do wrong?? Green thumbs, comment please!!

This is what they are SUPPOSED to look like:

{Aztec Red Verbena}