What are the best flowers to stand a brief freezing on the patio?

Pansies

Petunia's for sure.

Try pansies. They like cool weather.

Pansies weather cold well. You might still want to throw a light cover over them on a hard freeze just to keep them perky.

Pansies work wonderfully here in north Texas. Even if they get buried in a light snow, they keep poking through about all winter. ☺️

We have rubber plants that have done really well on our patio. But I still cover them even during a brief freeze. I live in Florida where it doesn't happen often but like to protect them.

Really depends where you live,light frost, snow doesn't kill/damage plants; it's if the ground/base of pot freezes and the roots suffer.Mums,Pansies,Calendulas,African Daisy,Dianthus,Petunia,Snapdragons,Sweet Alyssum,Geranium,Dusty Miller,Flowering Kale,Swiss Chard all these will work if the tops get damaged cut them off & they will continue to grow produce flowers

That is a good list. Thank you !