COLUMNIST: JOANNE EVANS
Many gardeners usually think about bulbs just being for spring colour and these are normally planted in the autumn. There are, however, many bulbs which can be planted in the winter months for a summer display in your garden. These often originate from hotter climates in the southern hemisphere and need warmer conditions to thrive but can still be grown in Scotland.
There are lots to choose from in the garden centres in February in different forms, including true bulbs, corms, rhizomes, and tubers. They should be planted in beds and borders when the soil starts to warm up with the ideal soil temperature being about 13°C. You could, however, be planting them in pots, containers, or hanging baskets now and put them in a greenhouse where it is warmer.
Here are my top 5 summer flowering bulb choices for a Scottish climate.
Asiatic lilies (Lilium spp.) are the hardiest and easiest to grow of all the Lily family. This variety is usually the first to flower, blooming between July and August in Scotland. It comes in a variety of colours with showy flowers and heights but does not have any fragrance. Please note that it is highly toxic to cats.
Asiatic lilies should be planted in full sun in soil which drains well either in a pot or border, the bulbs will rot in soggy conditions. Two of our favourite varieties are Lilium ‘Forever Susan’, a stunning orange and burgundy variety, and Lilium ‘Purple Eye’ which has a dark aubergine colour.
There is nothing big and showy about Lilium martagon, also known as the Turk’s cap lily. This group of lilies originates from Europe and Asia including the Alps.
Whilst their blooms are not as bold as their Asiatic cousins, they put on an abundant display of downward facing flowers on a single stalk with their petals curving back to create a turban-like shape, hence their name. Martagon lily should be planted in full sun or partial shade in a sheltered position in free draining soil in a border.
You can create an eye-catching display with these beauties, known also as the African lily. Agapanthus produces large, rounded flower heads in blue, white, or purple, on long, tall stems.
Flowering from late summer onwards, it can help to extend interest and colour in your garden when many other perennials are starting to fade. Planted in pots or borders, it gives a contemporary look to your outdoor space and also attracts bees. It prefers a sunny position in either a sheltered or exposed situation.
Nerine bowdenii, originally from the mountainous areas of South Africa, is hardy enough to take on a Scottish climate. Known also as Guernsey Lily, it does need to be planted in a sunny, sheltered spot and is best planted in large pots or containers so that it can be taken into a greenhouse over winter.
It does best planted in clumps and can take a couple of growing seasons to establish but is worth the wait - producing delicate, spider-like pink blooms on medium, slender stems.
Crocosmia, formerly known as Monbretia, produces strappy leaves with large flower spikes in hot colours of red, yellow, and orange in late summer and into autumn. It is reliable and resilient and will survive just about anywhere: in poor soil, drought, full sun, or shade. If you want effortless late summer colour, you cannot go wrong with planting Crocosmia.
Taller varieties, such as the fiery red ‘Lucifer’, look great planted in large swathes in borders. Smaller varieties such as ‘Carmine Brilliant’ are useful for smaller spaces or narrow beds. Crocosmia is ideal for coastal and gravel gardens.
Joanne Evans has been running her garden design business, Gerbera Designs from Aberdeenshire since 2012 offering services to clients across North East Scotland. A qualified garden designer with an HNC Garden Design with distinction from Scottish Agricultural College in Aberdeen, Joanne is an accredited member of the Association of Professional Landscapers (APL), and a pre-registered member of the Society of Garden Designers working through the adjudication process to become fully registered.
As well as designing creative outdoor spaces, she is also interested in the benefits of gardening for health and wellbeing and is a field worker for Trellis, Scotland’s therapeutic gardening charity.
In her regular column with Scotland Grows, Joanne will share some garden and planting design tips to get the most from your garden throughout the year. Follow Joanne for more inspiration on Instagram and Facebook.