Bulbs for summer colour
Once the last daffodil has died down, don't let your bulb display stop. Dozens of bulbs flower spectacularly right through summer, keeping you in dazzling flowers until well into autumn.
Plant as you would spring bulbs, burying them to three times their depth in crumbly, moisture-retentive but free-draining soil.
Plant our top ten summer bulbs from the range in our garden centre in Chorley for a summer that's spectacular from end to end.
- Allium: ornamental onions make explosions of colour dotted through the border, with ramrod-straight spherical flowerheads.
Recommended varieties: 'Globemaster', 'Purple Sensation'
- Agapanthus: the African lily is one of the truest blues you'll find, and their huge heads are a spectacular sight.
- Dahlias: handsome plants with dozens of flower forms: whether you like spider, pompom or single-flowered, you'll find them in our garden centre. Recommended varieties: 'Bishop of Llandaff',
- Lilies: heavily-scented oriental lilies have huge, heavily-perfumed blooms. Other types include hardy Asiatic lilies and pretty martagon types.
Recommended varieties: Lilium regale, Lilium stargazer.
- Trailing Begonia: if it's waterfalls of flowers you want – look no further. Tuberous begonias tumble over container edges in a mass of bloom.Recommended varieties: 'Odorata Angelique', 'Aztec Gold'.
- Upright Begonia: Also known as Non-stop begonias give a wonderful display of bright colours from red,orange, white, pink & yellow.
- Gladioli: tall and sophisticated, gladioli are in fact easy to grow, with spires of huge, intensely-coloured flowers.
Recommended varieties: 'Black Star' & 'Princess Frizzle'
- Cannas: hot and tropical brilliant orange, vermilion or yellow cannas have paddle-like leaves which can be as colourful as the flowers.
Recommended varieties: 'Black Knight' & 'Chocolate Surprise'.
- Nerine: Great for autumn flowering avaliable in striking Pinks & Whites tones.
Recommended varieties: 'Ostara' & 'Bowdenii'
- Zantedeschia (calla lily): Great for growing in containers with unusual cup/trumpet shaped flowers.
Recommended varieties: 'Red Alert' & 'Siberia'
Please ask the staff in our Chorley garden centre for more information and advice about choosing and growing your summer bulbs.