Summer Flowering Bulbs

Many gardeners focus on planting bulbs earlier in the year for their spring time display but they forget that you can also continue planting bulbs out at this time of year for the late spring through to summer and even autumn flowering. Bulbs really can be one of the easiest groups of plants to grow.

What many of us call bulbs actually covers a whole range of plants that all have some type of underground storage organ that allows them to lie dormant in the soil. They may be True Bulbs (Lilys) or Corms (Gladioli) or Tubers (Dahlia) or Rhizomes (Iris).

To have the best success with bulbs, you need to grow what suits your climate. These summer flowering bulbs really don’t need the cool factor, many are fine left in the ground permanently.

When selecting what bulbs to grow, you need to think about what locations you want to plant them in so that you select bulbs which are suitable for your location. You also need to think about what else will be in flower in your garden at the time the bulbs will be flowering, what your colour combinations will be and also think about the height the bulbs will reach, not just the flowers but also the foliage.

I always think planting out bulbs in groups can look more effective than just using single specimens. In general, most bulbs will like a well-drained soil with good organic matter. They require a good watering once planted and then they need to be kept only just moist until they start to shoot out above ground level.

Some bulbs you should consider planting out for your summer flowers are:

• Liliums - Asiatic Lilies, Trumpet Lilies, LA Lilies, Oriental Lilies, Orienpet Lilies or Tiger Lilies
• Dahlias
• Gladiolus
• Japanese Iris
• Nerine
• Belladonna Lilies

• Topics:

• Gardening