Summer bulbs, an enchantment to the eye

A great many intricate shapes, a beautiful palette of colors, summer bulbs are breathtaking additions to the garden all along this wonderful season and deep into fall.

A wide array of bulbs are ready to be planted by you for the coming summer season:

• dahlia
• begonia
• lily
• balisier
• crocosmia
• gladiolus…

So many combinations of height, shape and color are possible!

Plant summer bulbs after the lasts frost spells have lifted, from March until the end of May

In the garden, plant your bulbs at a depth equivalent to twice the size of the bulb. Check that bulbs are planted with the root bunch facing down. Cover with earth and mark the spot so that you may locate them later on.

When planting an entire flower bed, long-stemmed bulbs like dahlias and lilies should be planted towards the back. Mix in bulbs of smaller size such as gladiolus and dwarf dahlias or Eucomis.

In garden boxes, pots or other containers, tall flowers when planted alone must be staked, or the stems might break.

A novelty: the “Black cat” ‘Chat Noir’ dahlia

Very surprising but easy to grow and definitely able to fit in very diverse scenery settings, this bulb was nominated in the year 2010, similar to other Red Label Dahlia.

Prepare a place for it in the garden.

Bearing lots of flowers abundantly like all dahlias, the Chat Noir is unique due to its dark hues and its very large double flowers with spiked, regular petals.

While it is already stunning in a flower bed, bouquets is where it will best radiate its luminous blooming with its straight or bi-colored hues.

The Black Cat Dahlia is very resilient, has a long life span, and isn’t vulnerable to wind.

Multiple pot arrangements for terraces and balconies

Dwarf species are most suitable for pot arrangements because they hold well and produce a nice overall impact. Dwarf lilies and dahlias, and agapanthus, zantedeschia and eucomis are perfect to set up these mini-panoramas.

Tips for planting in pots:

• Fill the containers half way with soil.
• Place several bulbs in each pot, depending on the size. Check that the roots of each bulb face down and that bulbs aren’t touching each other.
• Cover with soil and fill to the brim.
• Place these bulb-seeded pots in a sunny spot for maximum blooming.
• Water often to keep the pot arrangements moist.

M.-C. D.