Time to plant summer bulbs

Started now they will give colour until autumn, says Ruth

- Ruth Hayes

GARDEN centres are full of summer bulbs and they are one of the most failsafe ways of adding colour to the garden that should improve year-on-year

Some can be planted outdoors now but others are best started off undercover and moved out when the late frosts have passed.

This is because many of the bulbs we plant for summer colour originate in warm climates and can’t handle our colder climate.

So we either mulch tubers in autumn, or in very cold areas lift the most tender varieties such as dahlias, cannas, freesias and store them in trays of dry compost and sand in the greenhouse or shed.