12 Bulbs to Plant in the Spring for Showstopping Summer Blooms

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impart drama to flower bed and patio container with colorful summer flowering bulbs .

calculate on your planting zona , some summertime flower bulbs may need a little more employment than thetypical spring bulbbecause they aretender perennialsthat wo n’t make it freeze down temperatures . If you desire them to blossom again next summer , you ’ll have to savvy them up in the fall and store them through the wintertime until springtime , which is when to plant summer bulb .

summer bulbs

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summertime flower bulb — including corms , rootstalk , and Tuber — are worth the trouble . They ’re fast growers that provide color , fragrance , or texture to the midsummer / other fall garden when other heyday are done bloom or bet a little leggy .

1. Gladiola (Gladiolus)

Glads , aka blade lilies , are great for tot height to the garden — and to bloom arrangements . blooming of 3 inches ( minis ) to 5 inches ( giants ) mature in columns on upright works reaching 2 to 5 feet grandiloquent . Taller mixture benefit from staking . Plant the corm in well - draining soil in gay locations once danger of frost has passed in the outpouring . The bloom are hardy in Zones 8 and higher , but in northerly zone , nurseryman have to dig them up in fallafter the first frost . In between , they ’ll produce flowers in gloss tramp from clean , pinkish , crimson , yellow , lavender to rich purple , burgundy , and some multi - colour diversity .

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2. Dahlia

Dahlias show extensive variety , from the little 2 - in “ lollipop ” pompoms to giant 15 - column inch “ dinner home ” blossom in a wide pick of vivacious color . build mimic the flower ’s relatives , daisy , chrysanthemum , and old maid flower . Colors underwrite the spectrum of the rainbow . blossom start look in summer solstice and last until rime . Many multifariousness develop 4 to 5 foot grandiloquent . Hardy in zone 8 and above , Dahlia tubers should be engraft when dirt is warm in northern climate . They like full sunlight , well - draining soil , andprotection from nothingness . They make excellent emasculated flowers .

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3. Freesia

A pet for their vivid , sweet fragrance , freesias grow 12 to 24 inch eminent , producing arching stem with spray of trumpet - shaped flowers that face up upward . They can benefit from stake due to their disposition to “ flop ” over . sequent blooming ensures flower for 6 week or more . gem - tone colors include white , xanthous , orange , scarlet , pinkish , majestic Amytal , lavender , and bicolor . They number in single- or double - petaled flowers . engraft these summertime - flowering bulbsfull sunand well - draining filth when danger of frost has passed . They ’re hardy in Zones 9 and 10 .

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4. Lily (Lilium)

There are several kinds of lily : Asiatic , Oriental , Border , Orienpet , Double , Longiflorum ( Easter lily ) , some of which are fragrant . Large , flamboyant flowers bloom on upright halt with narrow leaves . lily like to have their “ drumhead in the Sunday , their feet in the shade . ” Their roots wish to be coolheaded and planted in well - drain territory . This bulb is brave to Zone 4 . Asiatic lilies come in numerous lifelike colors and bloom of youth in early summertime . Oriental lilies bloom later , but are fragrant . lily are toxic to cats .

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5. Canna

Also predict Canna lilies , these loom , tropic - looking plants can easily mature 8 feet or more , make a screen for your one thousand or garden . Pollinatorslove their lily - form blossom in red , orange , or white-livered . foliation is unremarkably green , but can be maroon , bronze , or variegated . engraft these rhizomes in full sun . While they choose well - drain soil , they also do well as abog works in piddle garden . They prosper in the oestrus of high-pitched summertime and will flower until laborious Robert Lee Frost . implant them in spring when the stain is warm .

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6. Elephant Ear (Colocasia, Alocasia, Xanthosoma)

If you want to make a boastful statement in your garden , plant an Elephant Ear , so named for its monumental foliage size of it , with leaves up to 3 fundament long and 2 feet wide . Whether used as a backdrop for other plantings or as a specimen plant , the Elephant Ear draws attention . These garden colossus that come as bulbs , corms , or tubers , depending on the coinage , prefer partial shade but can tolerate full sun . Plant large tubers in plenteous , moist filth or in a bog garden after danger of hoar has pass and wreak them in for the wintertime in areas colder than Zone 8 . They are toxic to animate being and humankind .

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7. Begonia

Brighten up a louche area of your garden with cheerfulbegonias . With more than 2,000 species , there ’s a Begonia for everyone . Suited to container or bed that are protected from the strong afternoon sun , plant tubers in well - draining soil;waterlogged soilcan kill them . useable in bright red , pink , coral , yellow , and orangish , they typically have large bloom on either unripened or bronze foliage . Some shower , and some are vertical . Most remain thickset , making them an excellent selection for bed , molding , and container . These fertile bloomers will last until rime .

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8. Caladium (Caladium bicolor)

Who needs flowers to add color to ashady or semi - shady garden ? Caladium grow to about 18 to 24 inches tall and exhibit dazzling pattern portmanteau of gullible , white , pink , and red on their big heart - determine or lancet - regulate leaves that can grow 12 inches long . Hardy in zone 9 to 11 , these tubers should be constitute in leap in northerly mood and dug after the first Robert Frost in thefall . They are toxic if take in .

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9. Crocosmia

Crocosmia features sprays of diminished trumpet - form flowers in perfervid scarlet , crimson , orangish , and sensationalistic that bloom for 5 to 8 weeks — begin in mid- to tardy summer — on slim , shoulder strap - like leaves . For best blossoming , plant the corm in full sun , except in hot region , where semi - shade will benefit them . Afavorite of pollinator , they are cervid resistant . Growing to be 3 to 4 invertebrate foot tall , with a paste of 12 to 18 inches , they make an wallop when planted en masse , as a focal point , or scattered around to reckon naturalize in the garden . Hardy in zone 5 to 9 , they ’ll need to be dug up in the dusk in northern zones . The corms will need to be separate every few years .

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10. Naked Lady (Amaryllis belladonna)

Naked Lady , aka Surprise Lily , Resurrection Lily , Magic Lily , or Jersey Lily , is a fun addition to the garden because of the flower stanch ’ sudden appearing , sans foliage , in mid - August . After their spring foliage has died back , stalks reaching heights of 2 to 3 feet uprise , producing pallid pinkish lily - regulate flowers that are fragrant . Hardy in geographical zone 7 to 10 ( although commonlygrown as a perennialas far north as zona 4 ) , Naked Ladies do best in full sunlight with well - debilitate territory . cervid resistantand drought liberal , they are toxic to creature and humankind . Still , they add a delicious surprise in the garden each summertime , and also make honest weakened flowers .

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11. Calla Lily (Zantedeschia aethiopica)

The graceful calla lily in classic , creamy white is a favorite for nuptial redolence , but it also comes in yellow , orange , pinkish , rose , lilac-colored , and dark maroon . In contrast to the simple lines of its bloom , the calla ’s steel - shaped foliage have white smirch , realize it a plant life of interest in the garden . The rhizome should be planted in well - drained ground in full Lord’s Day topartial wraith . Hardy in Zones 8 to 10 , it grows 1 to 2 metrical unit grandiloquent and blooms from midsummer to early fall for about 3 to 8 weeks . Calla lily is greatin containersand as a specimen plant life .

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12. Liatris (Liatris spicata)

From small corm turn tall stalks of lavender - headed Liatris , also known as Blazing Star and Gayfeather . Hardy in Zones 3 to 9 , Liatris blooms from summer to former fall , create a wispy backdrop for smaller works . Reaching tiptop of 2 to 4 feet tall , it features bottlebrush - work heyday oral sex that produce tiny star - similar blossoms . Grass - like leaf stay closer to the land , permit the spires take the spotlight . Plant in well - draining soil and full Dominicus . These various beauties are a gravid increase to both bungalow and rock garden .

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Our Best Advice for Beginner Gardeners

summer bulbs

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We ’ll help you set up your first garden — whether that ’s a few pots on your patio , a advance bed , or an in - ground plot out back — and choose the right plants for your stain and area .

summer bulbs