Bulbs that flower in summer

Now is the time to plant a wide-ranging group of plants that are perfect for adding colour to the garden, says Anne Swithinbank, as she looks at summer-flowering bulbs

- Anne Swithinbank

A WIDE range of plants have adapted to withstand periods of heat, dryness or extreme cold by dying back to storage organs underground. Using food reserves, they quickly return to growth when conditions allow, ready to grow stems, leaves, flowers and seeds before dying back again. This cycle suits we gardeners because nurseries can easily supply us with easily transportable dormant bulbs, corms, rhizomes and tubers. Received in peak condition, they are simplicity itself to plant and grow.

Planting in spring 

While daffodils, tulips, hyacinths and alliums are planted in autumn to flower in spring and early summer, now in spring a different range are ready for planting. These will quickly sprout into growth and produce their flowers in summer. Some, like dahlia tubers and gladioli corms, are well known, but there are many more beautiful and often affordable types to try in borders and pots.

Plant in March and April to enjoy columns of long-lasting starry flowers produced by pineapple bulbs (eucomis), the large fluttering but short-lived speckled blooms of tigridias and the bright flowers of corn lilies (ixia) swaying on long, flexible stems.

Surviving periods of frost