Bulbs To Plant Now!

We’re now seeing the benefits of the bulbs we planted in autumn, but don’t stop there! It’s now time to plant for a fabulous summer says Camilla Phelps

- Camilla Phelps

March is not all about spring-flowering bulbs. We might be revelling in the colours of the bulbs we planted last autumn, the narcissi, crocus, tulips that needed a cold winter to bloom, but there are still plenty of bulbs, rhizomes, tubers and corms to be planted for flowers later this year.

There’s always something exciting and hopeful about planting an often gnarly and quite ugly piece of vegetation in anticipation of astonishing flowers. Summer flowering bulbs in particular often tend to be brilliantly coloured and flamboyant. Many are tender and shy of our cold and wet winters, but by planting in spring, they grow fast and will reward you with glorious flowers right through the summer months and up until the cold weather sets in once more.

Options for pots and borders

Now is the perfect time to think about where you want to add these summer and autumn flowering bulbs. Dahlias, begonias, gladioli, galtonia and nerines will bring vibrant accents of colour, and lilies and freesias have the added bonus of heady scents.

Most are great for growing in both pots and borders. Plant the hardier bulbs such as lilies and nerines into borders after the last of the frosts, or plant up a mixed patio container with trailing and foliage plants together with a dahlia as a centrepiece. Or grow a single variety of bulbs in pots, ready to bring out into warmer weather or plunge into borders when coming into flower.

Unlike spring bulbs that need some cold to start them into growth, many summer flowering bulbs are not hardy in the UK so will need nurturing in a frost-free spot to bring them out of dormancy.