Summer Bulbs To Try
While spring flowering bulbs are widely popular there are some summer bulbs worth trying.
Spring bulbs are mainly grown for their flowers. Bulbs for summer include some that produce colorful flowers but also some that produce just foliage or even colorful flowers and colorful foliage.
Summer Flowering Bulbs
Agapanthus
(Lily of the Nile)
A wonderful blue and sometimes white flower cluster that blooms on stalks up to 2 foot tall.Grows best in full sun with rich loose soil.
In cold climates you can grow the bulb in containers planted in the garden and bring indoors to protect during the winter. It has large fleshy tubers and produces green straplike leaves. |
Begonia
(Tuberous Begonia)
A showy summer-flowering tuber which comes in both single and double flowering varieties.Best grown in part shade with moist soil.
Start the plant in early spring to flower in the summer. Tubers can survive several years if you lift them after frost and store them properly. |
Ranunculus
(Buttercup)
Most buttercups are yellow but a few have white, red or yellow blossoms. Grows best in full sun and makes a great rock garden plant. |
Crocosmia
(Montbretia)
Foliage has sword-like leaves and slender spikes of small funnel shaped flowers in red and yellow shades. |
Dahlia
Dahlia are popular with gardeners.Heights range from 23 inches to over 3 foot. Plant in full sun with well draining soil. |
Freesia
Best grown in warm climates.The freesia is a popular flower with florists. It comes in white, yellow, orange, pink or lavender. |
Gladiolus
A must try flower bulb for all gardeners. The gladiolus makes a great cut flower and they come in many colors. Make sure to plant the bulb down at least 5 inches to support the plant during it's flowering period. |
Gloriosa
Also known as Glory Lily, this tuber is a sun loving plant.The flowers look like a flame with their yellow and red coloring, lending to it's other nickname of flame-lily. The flower stems are tall and week, so support is needed. |
Summer Bulbs For Foliage
Caladium
Caladiums are grown for their arrow shaped leaves which show off a veined or marbled design in red, white, green or a combination of all three colors.
Plant 2" deep and 12-24 inches apart in part sun.
Caladium can be grown outdoors but will look great growing indoors as a potted house plant.
Canna
Canna are grown not only for their colorful flowers but their colorful foliage. Foliage can be marbled or veined, green or copper in coloring.
They provide a tropical look to your garden and are fun to grow.
Grown in full sun they will reach a height of 4-6 feet.
A single plant will look good, but a group of three or more will really make a bold statement.
Other Summer Bulbs To Try
Here are some other summer garden bulbs that are worth growing. I didn't have pictures of them at the time of writing this page.
Eucomis (Pineapple Flower)
Galtonia(Cape Hyacinth, Summer Hyacinth)
Ixia (African Corn Lily)
Ornithogalum (Star-of-Bethlehem)
Zephyranthes (Rain Lily, Wind Flower)
More About Bulbs, Not just Summer Bulbs
Bulb Care
Fall Bulbs
Spring Bulbs
Planting Bulbs
Flower Bulbs
Home Page
A green thumb is nothing more than hard work and the desire to make things grow.
