Bulbs
In the luminescence of autumnal foliage , with the first crisp mornings and vague wisp of hoarfrost , a gardener ’s thoughts often twist to — leaping and summertime . Across the res publica , one thousand of bulbs are being popped into the priming coat in anticipation of a glorious video display next year . This is an number of organized religion , the plant lover ’s version of delayed satisfaction .
The most conversant “ bulbs ” are those iconic plant liketulips , daffodils , dahlias , lily , andgladioli . There are a boniface of less - conversant options , including heirloom varieties . Everyone has their favorites , and here is a selection of personal picks that might be slightly off the mainstream .
pic by : Rob Cardillo .
1 . Lady tulip ( Tulipa clusiana‘Lady Jane ’ )
Blooms : Red and white ( spring)Height / Spread : 10–14”/6–8"Zones : 3–9 ( zona 10 on the West Coast )
2 . Hardy Japanese orchid ( Calanthe discolor )
Blooms : Purple - brown and white ( spring)Height / Spread : 10–12”/10–12”Zones : 6–9
3 . Snake ’s head word sword lily ( Hermodactylus tuberosus )
Blooms : Black - violet and yellow-bellied - gullible ( spring)Height / Spread : 6–8”/6–8”Zones : 6–8
Photo by : Chelsea Pomales .
4 . Little clean soldier ( Drimiopsis maculata )
Blooms : White ( spring)Height / Spread : 8–12”/10–12 ” clumpsZones : 7–9
5 . Sicilian honey Allium sativum ( Nectaroscordum siculum )
Blooms : Rose , pick , and green ( late spring / other summer)Height / Spread : 3’/1’Zones : 4–8
pic by : Courtesy Plant Delights Nursery .
6 . Scarlet or false freesia ( Freesia laxa , syn . Anomatheca laxa )
bloom : Red ( late saltation / other summer)Height / Spread : 8–12”/6–8”Zones : 7–10
Photo by : Doreen Wynja .
7 . Pretty face ( Triteleia ixioides‘Starlight ’ )
Blooms : Creamy yellow ( late spring / former summer)Height / Spread : 12–20”/8–10”Zones : 5–9
8 . Ithuriel ’s fizgig ( Triteleia laxa‘Rudy ’ )
flower : White and purplish ( recent spring / early summer)Height / Spread : 15–24”/8–10”Zones : 6–9
9 . Camas ( Camassia leichtliniissp.suksdorfii‘Blue Danube ’ )
Blooms : puritanic or livid ( late leaping / early summer)Height / Spread : 3’/1’Zones : 4–8
10 . Firecracker heyday ( Dichelostemma ida - maia )
Blooms : Red and lily-livered - green ( late spring / mid - summer)Height / Spread : 18–24”/15–20”Zones : 6–9
11 . ‘ Atom ’ gladiolus ( Gladiolus‘Atom ’ )
corrupt now on Amazon
A small-scale glad with elephantine impact , the scarlet flowers are half the size of it of florist gladiolus blossom and delicately edge with silvery blank . Its narrow-minded form and short superlative , 2 to 3 feet at most , make it light to regain a office for ‘ Atom ’ in the molding , and its hot colour is tone down by the nippy rim . This sweetheart has been popular since its launching in 1946 , and it ’s a magnet for hummingbird . Dramatic companions would be purple and blue flowers : Salvia , Nepeta , Verbena . Or plants with silvern foliage : Artemisia , Stachys . As with all glads , ‘ Atom ’ is a superb cutting flower too .
Blooms : Red with white border ( other summer)Height / Spread : 2–3’/1’Zones : 6–10
See moregladiolus flowers .
12 . Byzantine gladiolus ( Gladiolus communisssp.byzantinus )
Blooms : Magenta ( early summer)Height / Spread : 2’/1’Zones : 6–9 ( Zone 10 on the West Coast )
13 . Dutch iris ( Irisxhollandica‘Eye of the Tiger ’ )
Blooms : Violet - blue and bronze ( summer)Height / Spread : 2’/6”Zones : 6–9
Photo by : Richard Bloom .
14 . Pineapple lily ( Eucomisspp . )
Features upright pink - purple flower spikes enhanced by deep Bourgogne leaf that retains its coloured coloring well into summer . Although slow to come forth in spring , once it blooms in later summer , flowers last for week .
Blooms : Purple , pink , yellowish , or clean , with some varieties having bicolored blooms ( summer)Height / Spread : 1 to 3 feet tall , 2 to 4 base wideZones : 7 - 10 , some stalwart to Zone 6
envision : crown Glory ™ ' Purple Reign ' — corrupt now from Proven Winners
picture by : Marianne Majerus .
15 . Nodding Allium cepa ( Allium cernuum )
Blooms : Pink ( summer)Height / Spread : 8–12”/6–10”Zones : 4–8
16 . ‘ Boone ’ gladiolus ( Gladiolusxgandavensis‘Boone ’ )
Blooms : Apricot and yellow ( midsummer)Height / Spread : 3–4’/1’Zones : 5–9
17 . Spider lily ( Lycoris radiata )
I first met this electric light while I mold at Cheekwood Botanical Garden in Nashville . Its ice of coral - ruby-red bloom popped up in the wild flower garden in the aureate glow of early fall . The bike of wanderer lily seems counter visceral : flower in early descent , followed by strappy foliage that hunkers down during winter , die back to dormancy in spring . In some locales severe cold can snip off the leaves , making it wise to site spider lily in a protect location . Chris Wiesinger calls this a “ signal ” plant , tell him it ’s metre to plant saltation - blossom bulb .
Blooms : Red ( late summer / early fall)Height / Spread : 1–2’/1’Zones : 5–10
18 . Formosa lily ( Lilium formosanum )
Blooms : White ( late summertime / early fall)Height / Spread : 5–7’/1’Zones : 6b–9 ( geographical zone 10 on the West Coast )
For more bulbs to plant in drop , see:20 Spring - Flowering Bulbs to Grow
Sources for bulbs:
For data about how to plant & store bulbs , seeBulbs 101
Get morespring gardening idea
