Many bulbs flower during summer and into autumn, and can be planted in summer for months of colour ahead.
These summer-flowering bulbs look their best massed together in clumps. Tough bulbs that prefer to be undisturbed, such as belladonna lily (Amaryllis belladonna), can be planted at the base of a tree or under the house eaves where they stay dry. Tall bulbs such as dahlia or canna need to be grown behind smaller plants.
By contrast, the dainty autumn crocus (Zephyranthes candida), with its grass-like leaves, makes a good garden edging. For a stunning burst of red, plant one of the paintbrush lilies (Haemanthus sanguineus or Scadoxus multiflorus) in a pot. Smaller dahlias and pineapple lilies (Eucomis spp.) grow well among herbaceous plants, such as penstemon and salvia.
How to plant
Growing summer bulbs successfully is all about good drainage. If soil is poorly drained, grow bulbs in pots. Prepare soil by digging it over to improve its texture and adding a shovelful of compost, then dig through a small handful of complete fertiliser. Planting depth depends on the variety as some, especially those from South Africa such as the belladonna lily, are planted so the neck of the bulb is exposed. For others, it is best to plant them about twice the depth of the bulb’s height. Many summer bulbs can remain in the garden undisturbed for years but in areas where soil is cold and wet during winter, canna and dahlia are best cut back and the bulbs dug up in late autumn.
Store them in a dry spot over winter and replant once the soil warms up again in spring. Every three or four years, when bulbs such as autumn crocus have become crowded, lift and divide them into smaller clumps and replant. Bulbs that flower from late summer to autumn, such as nerine and belladonna, must be kept on the dry side over summer. These bulbs send up flower stalks before their leaves appear, giving them the common name of naked ladies. Fertilise with bulb food or a complete fertiliser when they’ve finished flowering, as this is when leaf growth begins.
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