Best summer bulbs for beautiful colour

It is time to get some summer bulbs for planting in the garden and in pots.

Summer bulbs can be tubers, corms or rhizomes and all are super easy to grow.

I have chosen a few of my favourite summer bulbs to share with you. Clearly, nobody will be surprised to see that one of these will be beautiful dahlias.

I cannot resist a dahlia or two. Actually, make that three hundred and fifty.

Naturally, I have more on order and am counting down to late February, when my tubers should start to arrive.

Although, there are plenty of other bulbs to plant as well for brilliant colour and often with the bonus of delightful scent.

My choices are all fabulously colourful and are great for bees, butterflies and other pollinators.

So, here are a few of my favourite summer bulbs.

Beautiful summer bulbs, here come the dahlias

My first bulb for this post is the fabulous dahlia. Naturally, it just had to be!

In addition, I have chosen my absolute favourite, Verrone’s Obsidian. Look how thrilled that bee is with my choice.

Of course, there are so many dahlias to choose from. The honka star shape above, which are loved by bees, butterflies and other pollinators. Likewise, the single flowers and anemone varieties, which are also fabulous for pollinators.

Also, there are the deliciously gorgeous and curvaceously plump, dinner plate varieties. Truly great bloomers for maximum impact in the garden, and for vases.

If you love dahlias, I have added links to some earlier dahlia posts below.

10 beautiful dahlias chosen for you

The best dahlias, my dark sultry beauties

10 beautiful dahlia flowers for pollinators

I start my dahlia tubers off in March, in Favolosa, my greenhouse. The excitement is building, waiting for all the new tubers to arrive! Consequently, Favolosa gets full fairly quickly, with all the new tubers plus all the seed sowing.

I will need to squeeze in seed trays of dahlia seeds, cosmos, zinnia, morning glory and many more flowers. Plus tomatoes, runner beans, squash, ok, back to the summer bulbs for now.

Gladioli, fabulous summer bulbs

My second bulb (called a corm) is the fabulous gladioli. Naturally, most of mine are purple as it is my favourite colour. However, last year I added some pink, red, orange and white varieties.

I decided to get as much colour into my garden as possible and gladioli blooms provided plenty of that.

Of course, the gladioli were famously loved by the flamboyant Australian comedian Dame Edna Everage. However, if those blooms are too blousy for you, there are some shy and retiring varieties.

One lovely, elegant gladioli is the Byzantine. A beautiful magenta coloured flower, with no blousiness in sight.

I grow both types in my garden and pots and enjoy colourful displays from June through to July.

My corms are planted in batches every two weeks from mid April through to June. As a result, the flowers are staggered, and I get blooms for many weeks.

I also leave corms in the ground each year to overwinter, and they do pop up again each year. However, if you do not want to chance a hard winter, lift the corms and replant from April onwards.

Scented summer bulbs – Oriental lilies

My third choice of summer bulbs is the magnificent lily.

I have grown the popular Stargazer for many years. Also, the white Casa Blanca.

I decided to add to my collection last year. As a result, the fabulous Anastasia came to the lily party! Just look at that fantastic flower above, blooming in my flower border.

So, Anastasia is a hybrid that has been bred by crossing oriental and trumpet lilies. The result is a really tall lily that can reach up to a whopping 2.5m or eight feet. In addition, when well established, she can produce up to 25 flowers.

Moreover, I have found that the flowers’ scent, is absolutely fabulous.

I plant my new lily bulbs in March for a fabulous, fragrant display in July and August.

Like my gladioli, lily bulbs once planted get to stay in the ground to overwinter. I have not lost any to harsh weather so far.

Dutch Iris bulbs

I have chosen the beautiful Dutch Iris for the last of the summer bulbs for this post.

My bulbs come up every year and give a fabulous display in June.

However, the foliage of Dutch Iris appears from late winter, and mine already have some strapping sword shaped leaves.

I shall soon start to feed them with a high potash fertiliser.

My Sapphire Beauty iris has been planted with alliums, giving me plenty of colour for early summer. In addition, both flowers attract bees, butterflies and other pollinators.

I also have some comfrey and aquilegia in this flower border. So, chock full of nectar and pollen for the pollinators.

I will add some yellow, white and orange varieties next year. Oh, and some more purple naturally. My aim to have every colour in the garden continues with summer bulbs.

Sourcing summer bulbs

So, if you need some more summer bulbs, here are some options.

I shall start with the dahlias. No surprise there then!

Mine are mostly from Sarah Raven. Link below for some fantastic varieties

Click here for Sarah Raven dahlias

I have also ordered a beautiful collection of collarette dahlias from J Parkers. These are fabulous for pollinators and jolly pretty too. I have added a link below for these, and other dahlias you might fancy yourself.

Please click here for J Parkers collarette dahlia options

Next, the gladioli. I have seen some fantastic colours at J Parkers. Purple, orange, pink, white, red and even a lovely lime green called Green Star. I have added a link for these below if you are interested.

Please click here for J Parkers gladioli options

My established Dutch iris bulbs came from J Parkers. I have added a link below. I have seen plenty of fantastic colours to add to my garden next year.

Please click here for J Parkers dutch iris options

Delightful lily bulbs

My lilies also came from J Parkers.

I have plenty of white and pink lilies and added orange and yellow last year. There are so many beautiful, fragrant varieties to choose from.

I have added a link below if you are interested in some lilies.

Please click here for J Parkers lily options

I hope you have enjoyed my summer bulbs post and will join me next time.

My blog is an affiliate for J Parkers and Sarah Raven. If you click on one of these links above, and make a purchase I may receive a commission, at no additional cost to you.

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