Summer Flowering Bulbs

Summer bulbs are planted in spring, when the soil is beginning to warm up, before providing beautiful blooms in summer and, for some varieties, into the autumn. They’re like a little battery with the flower and the leaves right in the middle, ready to burst into life at the start of their growing season. Some of the best summer flowering bulbs are begonia, dahlia, gladioli and lilies. Bergenia (Elephant Ears) are evergreen perennials with wonderful, large cabbage-like leaves producing erect clusters of red, white or pinky-purple bell-shaped flowers on 25-30cm erect stalks in summer. Dahlias are the highlight of the late summer garden, well-loved for their long flowering period and eye-catching blooms in a rainbow of colours. Gladiolus are like a summer tulip in many ways and just as easy to grow, they originate from hot, dry climates so require good drainage and plenty of sun. No garden is complete without at least one magnificent lily. They’re available in a wide range of shapes and colours, effective for filling gaps between shrubs in the border or patio containers. Easy to grow providing they have good drainage – incorporate grit on heavy soils.