Exotic And Colourful Summer-Flowering Bulbs

Lilies and gladioli are the obvious choices – but if you want bulbs to plant now for summer, they are only just the start, as Tamsin Hope Thomson reveals…

- Tamsin Hope Thomson

The gardening ‘to do’ list for March is always a long one. But ‘plant summer bulbs’ should be right at the top. It’s a simple job, but one that offers big returns. For minimum effort and at little cost, you will be rewarded with months of flowers, fragrance and colour. There is also a huge choice – lilies alone have hundreds of different varieties.

The term ‘summer bulbs’ is used to cover many bulbous plants; however, not all of them are true bulbs. This group includes crocosmias and gladioli, which are grown from corms, eremurus (rhizomes), and gloriosa lilies, which start life as tubers. With just as much potential to transform your garden as their spring relatives, they come in bright, bold colours and a variety of forms – from the blowsy trumpets of lilies to the spikes of eucomis and globe-shaped alliums.

Lilies and gladioli are ever popular (and for good reason), but with so much choice, why not try something different this year? Less commonplace options include the striking flowerheads of the Peruvian daffodil, or a climber such as the gloriosa lily. You could even grow your own cut flowers – bunches of freesias are a common sight in the supermarket, but they’re easy to grow in gardens, and it’ll save you money, too.

Ideal for containers

Every bit as versatile as their spring cousins, many summer-flowering bulbs look spectacular in containers. Growing in pots also has the advantage that you can move them around to give a boost of colour to bare-looking parts of your garden or patio. In a border, they will complement perennials like daisies, salvias and geraniums; or you could give them a starring role in a lowmaintenance scheme, with a supporting cast of different grasses. Taller options like eremurus will add height, while lilies provide glorious scent.