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bring a burst of colour In the borders when a lot of other plants are past their best. However, their maintenance
can become a chore in the autumn, when many will need to be dug up and stored bntil next year. Busy gardeners may not
have the time or the inclination to dig up buibs, clean and dry them off and store them in a frost-free place until next year. ' However, there are summer
flowering bulbs which are happy to stay in the ground and wili perform in subsequent years, says Miek Step,' consultant at the Netherlands
survive winte L
ate summer-flowering bulbs such as dahlias, crocosmias and liiies
Flower Bulb information Centre. Truly perennial bulbs
include lilies. Anemone coronaria, crocosmia, liatris and Commelina coelistis. "Most of these bulbs are sun
lovers," she says. "Plant them in spots where
there is a lot of sun during at least three-quarters of the day." Lilies like "cold feet" in
summer, so they perform better when they are mixed in a border planting where other plants cover the ground. Plant them with companions with heavy foliage, such as Alchemilla mollis and heuchera. Anemone coronaria and
Commelina coelistis are also both sun lovers. They prefer the soil to be warmed up easily
and therefore need to be planted in a more solitary setting, but will soon fill up the border and give good flower display. If the ground is too cold in early spring, they will have trouble emerging. ■ Crocosmia is a very easy
plant, but is also quite invasive, so be careful where you plant and which variety you choose. In more organic and moisture- retentive soil, the plant will grow large leaves, but bear fewer flowers, so they do not ■ need much watering - the drier the ground, the more the plant flowers.
^{rLiatris also prefers drier, less rich soil.
-'■'other bulbs which may come back, depending on the winter rain and snow, include
: Gladiolus calianthus, canna, crinum, eucharis, Nerine
r
bowdenii, tigridia and Zantedeschia aethiopica.
"All these bulbs return
better when the soil remains dry in winter time. As soon as they are surrounded by wet soil and the frost gets into the ground they will start rotting," says MiekStap. There are ways to improve
the chances of bulbs left in the ground to repeat-flower in subsequent years. "Plant the bulbs a l i t t l e .
deeper than the packaging ^ says, although they will take a little longer to come up in the first year's season as the soil stays cold longer on a deeper level," she says. • "If you are not harvesting
the bulbs in autumn and you would like them to return next summer, it is important that they have nutrients - nothing special, regular fertilising of your summer borders will do." Allow leaves and stems to
die down naturally, because if you cut them down it often disturbs the growing process for next year's bulbs. Those that do not die down
until heavy frosts appear, such as canna and crinum, should be covered with leaves or straw to protect them over the winter. Of course, if you want your dahlias, begonias and 'gladioli to survive the winter without having to dig them up, the answer could be to grow them in containers and just put the pots containing the bulbs in a frost-free shed or cool greenhouse for the winter.' There they will become completely dry without any work involved.
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Stargazer If the plants have had plenty
of feed in late summer, it will give them a strong base for next year. Most will need to be
repotted in fresh compost in spring, apart from nerines, crinurnVand amaryllis belladphha, which do not like
to be tossed around and should be left unless they have grown too big for the container. And'remember, summer
bulbs in containers will need warmth to get started again,
,.so do not put them out too early next year.
y IS best o ne bunch
you can never remember where you planted your bulbs from year to year, place pots of lilies where space is available in the border, then you can move the pot when they have finished flowering. One of the best is Lilium regale, which grows to one metre,
carrying narrow, dark-green leaves and large white blooms, flushed gold in the throat and purple pink on the outside of the peals. Another stunning type is the L 'Stargazer', which is hardy,
extremely fragrant and has distinctive hot pink blooms edged in white that face the sky. These lilies make excellent cut flowers and will lift any room in the home. Lily bulbs should be planted 15-20cm apart, at least three
times their depth. Lay the bulbs on their\sides when you plant them in early spring, to stop water becoming lodged between the fleshy scales, which can rot them. The bulbs also hate to dry out, so plant therri as soon as you buy them. Lilies are quite hardy, won't be worried by cold weather and should come up year after.
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THESE beautiful, fragrant summer-flowering bulbs produce large, flared trumpet flowers in an array of colours just when the garden may be running out of steam in mid-summer. Some can grow really tall, giving them extra prominence in a busy border. Grow them in pots on the patio or plant them in the border. If
MARCH NOVEMBER
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■ Hansons Garden Centre In Barrow has everything green-fingered experts need for the indoors and outdoors. A wide selection of trees, shrubs, plants and outdoor furniture Is always in stock at the Whalley Road centre.
' 16 the Valley / ■
BLACKJURISj DarweN
K in g G e o r g e ’s Hall Box Office: 0844 847 1664
www.kinggeorgeshall.com
-H I KING GEORGES HALL
BLACKBURN the Valley 17
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