Guest Author - Hellie T.

Summer flowering bulbs, corms and tubers add colour and interest to your English Garden. They are a good way of adding variety and height to a border without using up any extra space.

You can grow them in containers, pots and hanging baskets. The taller ones such as Gladiolus are excellent for cutting .

They are also easy to deal with and apart from Gladioli and Dahlias, can be left where you planted them for many years. It is a good idea to mark the position of your bulbs after they have flowered as they die back and you need to know where you can dig without disturbing them

Check the info on the packet when you buy your bulbs. If they need to be dug up after flowering you must wait until the foliage has turned yellow and dried off naturally. Then you can dig them up safely remove loose soil and store them in a dry and frost free place over winter.
Trays of sand make good storage containers. You can replant them next spring when the soil has warmed up.

Planting

If your soil is heavy or liable to become waterlogged then digging in some grit and popping a handful under each bulb, corm or tuber will help to keep them well drained and prevent them rotting.
If you are growing the taller plants such as Gladioli or Dahlias they will need canes or supports to keep the flower spikes upright.

A selection of summer flowering bulbs

Anemones
Flower April to June. Height 12 inches 30cm. Likes sunny spot or will grow in part shade – does prefer to be grown in borders rather than pots

Begonias
Good in pots. Plant Feb-May indoors or June outdoors Depth - 1 inch. Height-15cm-45cm

Crocosmia
Flowers July August. Height 3ft or 90cm. Plant outside in March or April.

Dahlias
Flower July-October. Plant March-May indoors. Outdoors after the risk of frost has passed. Depth 6inches or 15cm. Height varies on variety from 10"- 4.5’or 25cm-135cm.

Freesias
They like well drained soil and a sheltered spot so that the flowers are protected from the sun during the hottest part of the day. Plant indoors September to November - 5 bulbs per 5inch (12cm) pot. Depth 1 inch or 2cm. Plant outside when there is no danger of frost, plant 2in or 5cm deep. Freesias have gloriously scented flowers.

Gladioli
Flower from July-October They like a sunny sheltered spot with any good garden soil. Plant April-June or at intervals of two weeks to give you a succession of flowers. Plant corms in groups of five or more in the mixed border - 4in or 10cm deep.

Lilies
Flower June-September. Plant outside from Feb-June. Depth - 5"-6" or 12cm-15cm. Height 18"-4' - 45cm-120cm. For pots and containers plant March-May indoors

Nerine bowdenii
Good in pots and they like a sunny spot. Plant April to May. Depth 4 inches or 10cm. Height 2ft or 60cm. Flowers September to November.


Enjoy your garden!