A Light Bulb Planting Moment…

Bulbs planted in the autumn, for spring flowers, remain more popular than ones planted in the spring for the summer and that seems really unfair as they have so much to give.  Most of them flower for long periods of time so a little light planting now can deliver heavy flower crops through the summer. Here's my guide to summer flowering bulbs!

They look great in Pots and Containers: plant two or three different types in layers to create an ever-changing display or pack with the same variety for a simple yet spectacular statement. Plant the tallest, latest flowering bulbs at the bottom, ensuring they are not touching, and cover with compost and a handful of grit so the tips just show. Position the next layer between the tips, and repeat, ending with a layer of compost twice the depth of the top bulbs. Short Dahlias and pot Lilies are particularly good performers. Make sure your container has adequate drainage by adding broken pots or large gravel under the compost. Plant a summer flowering hanging basket using hanging pendula Begonias and you'll be delighted with the results.

Bulbs are superb for filling gaps in borders; tuck them between other plants in drifts of single species to blend with the planting scheme or a range of varieties to create dramatic splashes of colour. Gladioli are ideal for backs of borders flowering at 60 - 120cm they are ideal as a backdrop to other plants and bulbs.

Planting summer flowering bulbs is a great way of attracting butterflies and bees into your garden. Open centred flower forms of Dahlia are particularly attractive to pollinating insects as are Alliums and Liatris spicata (Blazing Star). The range of colours available means you can plant a rainbow across your garden. It may not lead to a pot of gold - unless you plant one!

Lots of summer bulbs can be used to add fragrance to your garden. Lilies are well known for their fragrance with trumpet varieties such as Regale and Oriental lilies such as Casa Blanca and Stargazer being particularly scented. There are also now several fragrant Begonia available - look out for the Odorata types which are also great for hanging baskets. Gladiolus callianthus (Acidanthera) are also scented, as are Freesias, Polianthes, Leucocoryne, Amaryllis belladonna and Hymenocallis festalis. Cosmos atrosanguineus is an interesting variety with its burgundy blooms and a distinct chocolate aroma.

Several summer flowering bulbs are suitable for use as cut flowers. Highly recommended for this purpose are gladioli, cactus, pompon and decorative flowered dahlia and lilies. You could even create a "cutting garden" but try to choose a sheltered spot for this and plant the bulbs a bit closer together than usual so they support each other during their growth. Try to choose bulbs with different flowering periods so that you have fresh flowers in your home all summer.

Boyd Douglas-Davies, March 2021