Midseason color in the garden may be amply provided from a storehouse of plants that are too seldom used.
These are the ones that arise from bulbs or tubers. We are accustomed to the brilliant displays of tulips and narcissus in early spring.
If we like, we can have continuing colors from bulbs through the season.
After the early bulb display, Dutch irises come along, followed by the English iris species flowering in May and June, thus prolonging the iris season for another month.
The Desirable Hymenocallis Group
Late May finds Hymenocallis occidentalis, commonly called spider lily, open.
Pure white with long narrow petals and long stamens, they fill a definite place in any garden.
It’s not as large as Hymenocallis americana, which blooms in July and is just as desirable.
Hymenocallis americana is of sturdier growth, reaching 2’ feet or more, each stalk producing 10 to 15 blossoms in one umbel.
Where winters are mild, bulbs of both of these should be planted in the fall.
These bulbs enjoy the sun but will tolerate some shade.
By this time, another cousin, Hymenocallis calathina, (Ismene calathina), is putting up heavy bloom stalks with large white, intensely fragrant flowers.
The Easy Ismene Group
The ismene group is particularly easy.
They will grow in any soil that will support gladiolus.
Bulbs can be planted outdoors when the danger of frost is over and dug up in the fall before a hard freeze.
Leave all roots on as well as all soil that will cling to roots.
They are free from disease and require full sun.
Old-Fashioned Flamboyant Tritonias
In July through August, tritonias commonly called montbretia—will be a blaze of glory.
The old-fashioned flamboyant red has been replaced by more desirable colors in soft creams, yellow, and even a pretty pink.
They multiply rapidly and can be left in the ground year-round under a winter mulch.
The graceful spikes cut well, lasting a week in water.
Fragrant Galtonias
Galtonia, a summer cousin of the hyacinths, produces strap-like leaves and dozens of white bells on 3’ to 4’ feet stems.
Bulbs are planted in the garden like gladiolus in late April or early May.
They should be placed at least 12” inches apart, as the leaves are large and resent being crowded.
Given moist soil in the full sun, these plants will reward you handsomely.
Grandmother’s Garden Favorite Tuberoses
Tuberoses are traditional favorites from grandmother’s garden.
The single variety is better suited for border plantings.
If you haven’t tried achimenes in their new colors, you are missing one of the most pleasing of the minor summer bulb family.
These require shade and are put on a show from June until frost.
It’s just the plant for edging a tuberous begonia bed.
Hardy Orchid Bletilla
Bletilla, the hardy orchid, is a native of China and is a beauty that anyone can grow.
Planted outdoors in November, it will bloom the first of May, bearing six to eight dainty cattleya-colored flowers on 12” inches stems.
These orchids come in two colors and enjoy rich woodland soil in partial shade.
Rich-Colored Tigridia Bulbs
- Plant quantities of tigridia for rich color in a tame border.
- Flowering in midsummer, the tigridia is well adapted to our gardens.
- There is a good color selection, and these bulbs do best in full sun.
- Water is necessary for an abundance of bloom, and good drainage is essential.
- It is also a good idea to wait until the ground is thoroughly warm before planting tigridia, and treat the bulbs as gladiolus.
New Novelty Flower Acidanthera
Like many favorites discarded years ago, acidanthera has been brought back as a “new” novelty flower.
It is a native of Ethiopia, belonging to the iris family. Yet in habit, it resembles the gladiolus, enjoying a sunny spot in your garden.
The bulb is small but will make a plant 30″ inches high.
In early September, Acidanthera Muriclae will bear fragrant, gladiolus-like flowers, white with a deep maroon throat.
Acidanthera bicolor flowers are creamy-white with chocolate brown blotches at the base of each petal.
Plant Acidanthera bulbs may be planted in late spring and dug before a freeze.
Vibrant Alliums
Many members of the onion family have beautiful flowers, which add much to the good looks of our borders.
Most of them thrive in sunny, well-drained situations, come readily from seed, and some of them such as the lavender-flowered Allium pulchellum and yellow.
Allium flavum flower the first year from seed sown indoors in February.
They increase rapidly, the different varieties blooming from late spring through October.
Allium tuberosum was my first experience in growing alliums. After ten years, it is still a favorite.
It rises to 24″ inches, and in early July the scapes are topped by wide umbels of greenish-white flowers and have the fragrance of heliotrope until bruised when the onion scent prevails.
Allium karataviense is a unique species, distinct in form with broad, flat leaves of blue-gray metallic sheen.
In early May, the 6” inches scapes bear umbels of pinkish rose-colored flowers.
The stately 3’ feet foot Allium rosenbachianum, bearing in early summer large heads of purple flowers, will appeal to the gardener seeking unusual plant material.
Allium tanguticum, called the lavender globe lily, blooms in late autumn with round full heads of starry flowers.
All alliums grown in our garden are hardy, requiring very little care.
You will not find a dull member of this family.
Regal Bearing Lilies
No other bulbs contribute so much color and grace to summer gardens as the lilies. By using the right kinds, one may have them in bloom from early spring to late fall.
Their regal bearing always gives the border a distinctive air. It is said of this genus that it has no “poor relation.”
Crinums in variety are valuable additions to gardens. Once acclimated, they multiply rapidly with little care.
Of all the varieties grown, Crinum alba after 15 years is still my favorite.
This year, one clump produced 30 flowering stalks of purest white, and it never seems to be injured by winter weather.
It benefits from a mulch of well-rotted manure in winter and plenty of moisture in summer.
In the North, the bulbs are best grown in tubs that can be stored in a cool, frost-free place over winter.
One can’t help being enthusiastic about the new dwarf cannas. They bring to the garden completely new colors and more luxuriant foliage.
Blooms are wide and open, closely resembling the gladiolus.
Enliven your shade garden with the versatile caladiums for brilliant color.
There are many varieties and not a dull number among them.
Longest Flowering Lycoris
The lycoris family has perhaps the longest flowering period of all the summer bulbs.
Whatever it may be called, Lycoris squamigera, once established, is a permanent plant that gives more pleasure each year as the clumps grow larger.
Lycoris radiata is not only spectacular in the garden but most effective as a cut flower.
In late August and through September, it sends up lovely coral-red spidery blossoms.
Of the two, Lycoris squamigera is hardier and will survive in the North.
Hardy Agapanthus Mooreanus
You will make no mistake by planting the hardy Agapanthus Mooreanus for the blue so needed in our midsummer gardens.
The 20” inches stems topped with clusters of bright blue flowers will delight you with their long-lasting qualities.
It will survive where temperatures do not go much below zero.
Multicolored Freesias
Something new has been added!
Formerly freesias could only be grown indoors.
Now an enterprising Dutch grower has produced a strain of fairly hardy garden freesias in an assortment of nice colors.
By planting a few corms of different species of hardy cyclamen, you may have them in flower almost the entire growing year from Cyclamen atkinsi (January-March) until the fall-flowering varieties Cyclamen neapolitanum and Cyclamen cilicicum begin to open.
Free Flowering Ixias
Ixias are free-flowering, graceful in habit, easy to grow, and come in a combination of delightful colors.
Combined with sparaxis, a bulbous plant of similar habits, they will add much to that semi-shaded corner in your garden.
They are not hardy in northern states.
For several years, the little irid Lapeirousia cruenta has grown and multiplied in our garden.
The foliage resembles that of ixia, appearing in late fall and remaining green all winter.
The 10” to 12” inches wand-like stems bear 5 or 6 small, six-petaled blossoms in deep peach, with red markings on the three lower petals.
This is a valuable rock-garden bulb with a six-week flowering period.
Give winter protection in the North.
Fall Blooming Saffron Crocus
The true saffron crocus (Crocus sativus) is not a familiar garden subject.
It is one of the fall-blooming species, but it is not commonly listed.
Do not confuse it with the colchicums, but it is an interesting plant, blooming in late September or early October.
Yellow Autumn Crocus
In early autumn Sternbergia lutea, with golden-yellow funnel-shaped flowers, begins to open.
It requires a well-drained position, and if planted 4” to 6” inches deep may be left undisturbed for years. This sternbergia is hardy.