Gladiolus send up floral scapes like no other flower, lilies open fragrant trumpets and broad stars, and a balisier can tower to two metres of exotic colour. Planted in spring, these summer bulbs carry flower beds, garden boxes and terrace pots from summer into autumn — provided the tender ones come inside before hard frost.
Summer bulbs are often spectacular and are magnificently ornamental in flower beds and along garden edges, but also in garden boxes and pot arrangements on your terrace.
They are most often planted in spring, from March to June, and we witness their blooming from summer until fall.
More vulnerable to the cold than perennials, some bulbs have to be brought inside in fall, if strong freezing occurs regularly in your area.
Wait until the risk of hard frost has passed before planting the tender summer bulbs.
Summer bulbs rot in waterlogged ground, so work grit or coarse sand into heavy soil before planting and avoid hollows where water sits.
Choose firm, plump corms and tubers, and reject any that feel soft or show mould.
Planting gladiolus corms in small batches a fortnight apart spreads the flower spikes over a much longer run rather than giving one short burst.
Check lily leaves for scarlet lily beetle and pick the bright red adults off by hand, as their larvae can strip a stem bare.
The sumptuous beauty of its flowers and the generous abundance of its blooming certainly makes dahlia one of the most beautiful bulb flowers.
Easy to care for, dahlia adapts best to warmer regions where its blooming will spill over into fall.
Bulbs are planted from March to June.
If the gladiolus so often appears in compositions prepared by flower shops, this is because it is simply one of the most beautiful flowers in our gardens.
Take in these floral scapes, so unique, that will thrive fabulously in full sun.
Bulbs are planted from March to July (most commonly as one of the June garden tasks) and blooming extends deep into fall.
Stagger plantings a fortnight apart to spread the spikes over weeks instead of all at once.
Balisiers need heat to grow and will grace your garden with a touch of exotic color.
It can tower up to 6 ½ feet (2 meters) tall, and produces beautiful bunches of flowers that will decorate your flower beds.
Growing in pots or garden boxes means you’ll have to choose dwarf balisiers that won’t grow any taller than 20 to 24 inches (50 to 60 cm).
Lay the rhizome flat in the hole with its growth buds pointing upwards, then cover it to the depth recommended for that particular plant, since suitable burial depth varies widely between species.
Their name reminds one immediately of those magnificent floral scapes and dense, green leafage that make them stand out.
Feet in the water and head in the sun, this is how they’ll give you the best of what they are.
Regular watering and bulb plant fertilizer will make their blooming even more spectacular.
Your flower beds or your pot arrangements will be emphasized thanks to this wonderful flower from summer to fall.
Sap from arum stems and leaves contains calcium oxalate, which irritates skin and mouth, so wear gloves when dividing and keep the plant away from young children and pets.
Once a spathe fades, cut its stalk off at the base; this keeps the plant looking tidy, though it will not necessarily prompt the plant to produce more flowers.
Elegance and sensuality are the words that best describe lilies, which are definitely part of most of our gardens.
Easy to care for and perfectly adapted to both growing in pots and in the ground, lilies bloom year after year without requiring any care.
Flowers are easy to recognize when they appear with their beautiful stars or fragrant trumpets.
There are almost as many colors as there are different varieties, and each is more beautiful than the next and surprises often are thrilling. Small enough for growing in summer planters.
Best planted in fall, flowering from summer to fall in the following year.
Summer bulbs in the garden – How to pair summer bulbs with other flowers and shrubs for maximum impact
