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Add drama to flower beds and patio containers with colorful summer flowering bulbs.
Depending on your planting zone, some summer flower bulbs may require a little more work than the typical spring bulb because they are tender perennials that won’t survive freezing temperatures. If you want them to bloom again next summer, you’ll have to dig them up in the fall and store them through the winter until spring, which is when to plant summer bulbs.
Summer-blooming bulbs, including corms, rhizomes, and tubers, are worth the trouble. They’re fast growers that provide color, fragrance, or texture to the midsummer/early autumn garden when other flowers are done blooming or look a little leggy.
1. Gladiola (Gladiolus)
Glads, aka sword lilies, are great for adding height to gardens and flower arrangements. Blooms of 3 inches (minis) to 5 inches (giants) grow in columns on upright plants that reach 2 to 5 feet tall. Taller varieties benefit from staking. Plant the corms in well-draining soil in sunny locations after danger of frost has passed in the spring. The flowers are hardy in Zones 8 and higher; in northern zones, you’ll have to dig them up in fall after the first frost. During the summer, they’ll produce flowers in colors ranging from white, pink, red, yellow, lavender to deep purple, burgundy, and some multi-color varieties.
Get 20 Rainbow Mix Gladiolus bulbs at Eden Brothers for $19.99.
2. Dahlia (Dahlia)
There are so many sizes and colors of dahlia, from the little 2-inch “lollipop” pompoms to giant 15-inch “dinner plate” blooms. Shapes mimic the flower’s relatives: daisies, chrysanthemums, and zinnias. Blooms start appearing in midsummer and last until frost. Many varieties grow 4 to 5 feet tall. Hardy in Zones 8 and above, dahlia tubers should be planted when soil is warm in northern climes. They like full sun, well-draining soil, and protection from wind. Dahlias make excellent cut flowers.
Get 5 clumps of Garden Mystery Dahlia from K. van Bourgondien for $26.50.
3. Freesia (Freesia)
A favorite for their intense, sweet fragrance, freesias grow 12 to 24 inches high, producing arching stems with sprays of trumpet-shaped flowers that face upward. They benefit from staking due to their tendency to “flop” over. Sequential blooming ensures flowers for 6 weeks or more. White freesia are common, as are jewel-toned yellow, orange, scarlet, pink, royal blue, and lavender. You’ll find single- and double-petaled freesia; all should be planted in full sun and well-draining soil when danger of frost has passed. They’re hardy in Zones 9 and 10.
Get 15 Double White Freesia bulbs from Easy to Grow for $11.99.
4. Lily (Lilium)
Lily bulbs are hardy to Zone 4. There are several kinds of lily: Asiatic, Oriental, border, Orienpet, double, and longiflorum (Easter lilies), some of which are fragrant. Large, showy flowers bloom on erect stems with narrow leaves. Lilies like to have their “heads in the sun, their feet in the shade.” Their roots like to be cool and planted in well-draining soil. Asiatic lilies come in numerous vivid colors and bloom in early summer. Oriental lilies bloom later, but are fragrant. Lilies are toxic to cats.
Get 3 ‘Silk Road’ Lily bulbs from White Flower Farm for $25.
5. Canna (Canna)
Also called Canna lilies, these towering, tropical-looking plants can easily grow 8 feet or more, creating a screen for your yard or garden. Pollinators love their lily-shaped flowers in red, orange, or yellow. Canna foliage is usually green, but can be maroon, bronze, or variegated. Plant these rhizomes in full sun. While they prefer well-draining soil, they also do well as a bog plant in water gardens. They thrive in the heat of high summer and will bloom until hard frost. Plant them in spring when the soil is warm.
Get 3 The President Canna bulbs at Burpee for $9.95.
6. Elephant Ear (Colocasia, Alocasia, Xanthosoma)
If you want to make a big statement in your garden, plant an elephant ear, so named for its massive foliage size. With leaves up to 3 feet long and 2 feet wide, the elephant ear draws attention, whether used as a backdrop for other plantings or as a specimen plant. These garden giants that come as bulbs, corms, or tubers, depending on the species, prefer partial shade but can tolerate full sun. Plant large tubers in rich, moist soil or in a bog garden after danger of frost has passed, and bring them in for the winter in areas colder than Zone 8. They are toxic to animals and humans.
Get 1 Colocasia Giant Thai Elephant Ear bulbs from TheGreenAngels on Etsy for $17.50.
7. Begonia (Begonia)
Brighten up a shady area of your garden with cheerful begonias. Given that there are more than 2,000 species, there’s a begonia for everyone. Suited to containers or beds that are protected from the strong afternoon sun, plant tubers in well-draining soil; waterlogged soil can kill them. Available in bright red, pink, coral, yellow, and orange, they typically have large flowers on either green or bronze foliage. Some cascade, and some are upright. Most remain compact, making them an excellent choice for beds, borders, and containers. These prolific bloomers will last until frost.
Get 3 Begonia Cascade Mix bulbs from Easy to Grow for $31.96.
8. Caladium (Caladium bicolor)
Who needs flowers to add color to a shady or semi-shady garden? Caladium grow to about 18 to 24 inches tall and exhibit dazzling blends of green, white, pink, and red on their large heart- or lance-shaped leaves. Hardy in Zones 9 to 11, these tubers should be planted in spring in northern climates, and dug up after the first frost in the fall. They are toxic if ingested.
Get 5 No. 1 Cherry Blossom Caladium bulbs from Amaryllis & Caladium Bulb Co. for $10.50.
9. Crocosmia (Crocosmia)
Crocosmia, also known as montbretia or coppertip, has sprays of small trumpet-shaped flowers in fiery scarlet, red, orange, and yellow. Starting in mid- to late summer, it blooms for 5 to 8 weeks on slender, strap-like leaves. For best flowering, plant the corms in full sun unless you live in a hot region, where they benefit from semi-shade. A favorite of pollinators, crocosmia are deer resistant.
Growing 3 to 4 feet tall, with a spread of 12 to 18 inches, crocosmia are particularly stunning when they’re planted en masse, or scattered around to look haphazard in the garden. They’re hardy in Zones 5 to 9, but they’ll need to be dug up in the fall in colder zones. The corms will need to be divided every few years.
Get 20 Crocosmia Mix bulbs from Eden Brothers for $29.49.
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 stems’ sudden appearance, sans foliage, in mid-August. After their spring foliage has died back, stalks reaching heights of 2 to 3 feet arise, producing pale pink lily-shaped flowers that are fragrant. Hardy in Zones 7 to 10 (although commonly grown as a perennial as far north as Zone 4), Naked Ladies do best in full sun with well-draining soil. Deer resistant and drought tolerant, they are toxic to animals and humans. Still, they add a delightful summertime surprise in the garden, and also make good cut flowers.
Get a Naked Lady lily bulb from High Country Gardens for $16.99.
11. Calla Lily (Zantedeschia aethiopica)
The elegant calla lily in classic, creamy white is a favorite for bridal bouquets, but you can also grow yellow, orange, pink, rose, lavender, and dark maroon callas in your garden. In contrast to the simple lines of its flowers, the calla’s sword-shaped foliage features white spots, making it a plant of interest in the garden. The rhizome should be planted in well-drained soil in full sun to partial shade. Hardy in Zones 8 to 10, it grows 1 to 2 feet tall and blooms from midsummer to early fall for about 3 to 8 weeks. Calla lily grows well in containers and as a specimen plant.
Get 5 White Calla Lily bulbs from The Home Depot for $28.30.
12. Liatris (Liatris spicata)
From small corms grow tall stalks of lavender-headed liatris, also known as Blazing Star or Gayfeather. Hardy in Zones 3 to 9, Liatris blooms from summer to early fall, creating a wispy backdrop for smaller plants. Reaching heights of 2 to 4 feet tall, it has bottlebrush-shaped flower heads that produce tiny star-like blossoms. Grass-like leaves stay closer to the ground, letting the spires take the spotlight. These versatile beauties are a great addition to both cottage and rock gardens, and should be planted in full sun, in well-draining soil.
Get 24 Liatris Spicata ‘Blazing Star’ corms from Longfield Gardens for $14.
