10 Summer Bulbs for Garden and Balcony: Plant Now for Summer Colour

Plant the right bulb plants now and you’ll be rewarded with a summer burst of colour that makes borders and balconies look freshly transformed. The key is choosing hardy, long-lasting types, plus a few straightforward steps when planting and overwintering. Once they’re settled in the right spot, many of these beauties return year after year.

Why summer bulbs are the best garden investment right now

Perennial bulb flowers are like compact energy stores. Inside each bulb or tuber is everything the plant needs to push out leaves, stems and blooms. Put them in the ground in spring and they get going in summer - with no long wait.

“If you plant between February and the end of May, you can look forward to lush blooms in the same year - in borders as well as window boxes.”

Unlike classic spring favourites such as tulips or daffodils, many summer bulbs don’t need a long winter chill in the soil. They’ve already had the cold period they require in the nursery or in storage. As soon as frost is no longer a risk, they can go outside.

Their biggest advantages:

• They flower in mid-summer, just as many perennials are starting to tire.
• Many types keep blooming for weeks - sometimes well into autumn.
• Once bought, the bulbs can often be used for several years.
• They work just as well in borders as they do in large pots.

How to plant bulb flowers properly

The basic routine is much the same for most types - whether you’re dealing with a bulb, tuber, rhizome or tuberous rootstock:

• Choose a position: sun to part shade, and avoid waterlogging wherever possible.
• Prepare the soil: loosen it, and remove stones and thick roots.
• Planting depth: a good rule of thumb is about twice the height of the bulb/tuber.
• Orientation: set the pointed end upwards, with the flatter side down.
• Firm the soil and water well so no air pockets remain.

When planting in pots, add a drainage layer of expanded clay or gravel at the bottom so excess water can escape. Bulb plants tolerate a lot, but soggy roots are usually a deal-breaker.

The 10 most exciting summer bulbs for garden and balcony

Amaryllis for big show-stopping impact

Large-flowered amaryllis (Hippeastrum) is best known as a winter houseplant, but it also shines in summer borders with exotic, trumpet-shaped blooms in red, pink, white or striped forms. It prefers warmth, sunshine and a loose soil structure. Large terrace pots are ideal, especially if the bulb sits half above the compost.

Anemones for a delicate carpet of flowers

Anemones create dense drifts of small, fine blooms. They suit mixed borders, the front edge of beds, or positions beneath airy shrubs. If you soak the often bone-dry little tubers in lukewarm water for a few hours before planting, they establish more readily.

Begonias: colour miracles for shady spots

Tuberous begonias bring colour to north-facing balconies and shaded corners where roses and lavender struggle. Their double or single flowers can last for months. The tubers must not be caught by frost, and in autumn they should rest dry but frost-free - for example, in a box lined with newspaper.

Caladiums - dramatic foliage instead of flowers

Caladiums are grown for spectacular leaves in white, pink, red and green. They’re excellent for part-shaded places, where the patterns show at their best. The tubers need warmth and won’t sprout reliably until temperatures stay consistently above 20 C.

Cannas: instant tropical flair

Cannas resemble small banana plants topped with vivid flower spikes. They thrive in full sun and a rich, moisture-retentive soil. Whether in a patio container or as a focal point in a perennial border, they add a holiday feel to everyday spaces. In mild areas they can remain in the ground with a thick mulch cover; elsewhere, lift the rhizomes in autumn.

Crocosmias bring fiery tones to the border

Crocosmias deliver glowing orange and red shades on elegant, arching stems. They sit beautifully among grasses and fine-textured perennials. Where winters aren’t too harsh, a protective layer of leaves or bark mulch helps them through the cold months.

Dahlia tubers - late-summer stars

Dahlias are among the most popular summer bloomers. From pompon and cactus types to giant flowers, they really hit their stride in late summer. If you plant them in stages, you can keep the display going right up to the first frost - with plenty of stems for vases too. Store the tubers frost-free but cool, such as in a garage or cellar at 1 to 7 C.

Gladioli for dramatic cut flowers

Gladioli produce tall, upright flower spikes that dominate any bouquet. In borders they add strong structure, especially when planted in groups of five to ten corms. For a longer season, plant fresh batches every two weeks to extend flowering step by step into late summer.

Summer lilies as fragrant classics

Lily bulbs are among the most persistent summer bloomers. They often stay in the same spot for many years, and can become even better with time. Many varieties are richly scented - perfect near seating areas. One essential: the soil must not become waterlogged in winter, or the bulbs may rot.

Strongly scented tubers for the evening terrace

Bulbs and tubers with especially powerful fragrance are ideal in containers placed right beside chairs or loungers. Their sweet scent is strongest in the evening, when the air is a little more humid. If you lift them after flowering and keep them frost-free in storage, you can use them again the following year.

Which spot suits which bulb plant?

Choosing the right position is what separates a merely pleasant summer display from something truly striking.

Plant	Position	Special feature
Cannas	full sun, nutrient-rich	tropical effect, large leaves
Dahlias	sun to part shade	huge range of varieties, ideal for cutting
Begonias	shade to part shade	long flowering, perfect for window boxes
Caladiums	bright, but no midday sun	decorative foliage, better in pots
Lilies	sunny, free-draining soil	often scented, very long-lasting

In hot, fully sunny beds, cannas, dahlias, crocosmias, gladioli and lilies show their strengths. They attract bees and butterflies and add height to borders. For shaded areas by the house, begonias, caladiums and anemones provide reliable colour without sulking.

How to overwinter tubers without frost damage

Many of these plants only cope with winter outdoors to a limited extent. In colder areas, it’s safer to take precautions:

• After the first light frost, cut back the foliage.
• Carefully lift the tubers, shaking off loose soil.
• Let them dry for a few days somewhere airy.
• Store in boxes with paper, straw or slightly moist substrate.
• Keep them frost-free, dark and as cool as possible.

A quick annual check is worthwhile: you can lightly moisten shrivelled tubers, while any rotten ones should be removed so they don’t infect the rest.

Practical tips for lazy but clever gardeners

A few simple tactics will help you get more from summer bulbs without adding extra work:

• Use large pots - they dry out more slowly and need watering less often.
• Plant bulbs in groups instead of scattering them singly, for a fuller look.
• Combine with grasses or evergreen perennials so the area still looks good outside flowering time.
• Cut off faded stems regularly to keep the display going longer.

If you like to improvise, you can also plug gaps in early summer by dropping in pots that haven’t flowered yet. Gladioli, cannas or begonias can be tucked between perennials still in their containers - and lifted out again just as easily in autumn.

What beginners should also know

Two terms appear again and again with bulb plants: “hardy” and “perennial”. Hardy means the plant can tolerate frost while left in the ground. Perennial only means it can live for several years in principle - but it may only do so if it’s overwintered frost-free.

Some pairings look particularly cohesive: dahlias with ornamental grasses, cannas with white anemones, or begonias beneath hydrangeas. If you stick to combinations like these, you’ll create not just individual stand-out plants, but a unified look across the garden or balcony.

---