Flower grenades

Plant summer-flowering bulbs now to enjoy their scent and colour in a few months’ time, says Hazel Sillver, as she reveals the best ‘bulb grenades’ to choose

- Hazel Sillver

THE plant group referred to as ‘summer bulbs’ encompasses bulbs, tubers, corms and rhizomes that bloom during summer. Although some (including alliums) go in the ground in autumn, the majority are planted in late winter or spring. Containing a whole plant in a tightly packaged ball that resembles a hand grenade, bulbs are eternally fascinating. These weird and wonderful parcels are like magicians that transform from tiny, ugly ducklings into big, beautiful flowering plants.

There is a glorious range to choose from, including scented summer gems (lilies, freesias and tuberoses); bulbs that provide a blast of late-season colour (dahlias, crocosmias and cannas); and exotics that can be enjoyed outside in the warm months (tigridia, colocasia and tulbaghia).

New crocosmias