If you think bulbs and recall only the hardy spring-flowering daffodils and tulips, your garden is missing the wonderful colors and fragrances of the tender summer-flowering species, from Achimenes to Zantedeschia.

Achimenes are commonly called orchid pansies. They like shade, are great hanging basket plants and like a moist medium. They are in the African violet family. Colors are shades of blue, pink to purple and white.

Zantedeschia, commonly named calla lily, have a wide range of sizes and colors, not just the big white ones (aethiopica) used in floral arrangements. The calla lilies are less than 2 feet tall. Many have spotted leaves. Colors in the smaller species and hybrids include white, but can be purple, orange, cranberry-red, near black and bright yellow. Callas must be dug in the fall and stored in dry peatmoss or the winter.

Dahlias are probably the most popular of the tender bulbs (they actually are tubers). They may be a few inches tall to several feet. Years ago there was an annual fall flower show in the Asbury Park Convention Hall sponsored by the Monmouth-Elberon Horticultural Society in which the members competed with dinner-plate size blooms from disbudded plants that grew several feet tall. The society was formed in the early 20th century by estategardeners who
managed the big wonderful gardens once seen in Monmouth County. The society sponsored a scholarship to then Monmouth College, which was once one of the great estates of the area.

In 1973 the membership consisted of more than 50 men with just one woman member who was a professional gardener, Ethel Thorsen of Little Silver. (I was an honorary member.) By then men who were amateur gardeners were allowed to become members. The president that year was Peter Burns of West Long Branch.

Dahlias of small stature are more popular now. The Dahlinovas are only 8 inches tall and are suited to pots or edging. Dark foliage types such as old Bishop of Llandaff with bright red flowers, make good contrast plants. These grow to about 3 feet. There are cactus types and anemone types. Colors range through reds, yellows and purples, many bicolors, plus white. No blues in this genus.

Beautiful foliage for the shade garden is provided by Caladiums, most with white combined with contrasting pink, green and red. Thai Beauty has elongated leaves with wavy edges, hot pink with dark green and white veins. These often are combined with tuberous begonias in their lush blooms of pink, red and yellow shades plus white.

Cannas are old-fashion plants that have enjoyed a well-deserved renewal of popularity. When I was young, it was my job to pick the Japanese beetles from my grandfather’s cannas and pinch their heads off! Plants may be 18 inches to 8 feet tall. They must be lifted after frost and the roots stored upside-down in a frost-free place. Striking contrast of leaf and flower is common, with dark purple leaves with bright red flowers, for instance, or soothing peach bloom on clean green leaves.

A clump of Crocosmia makes an outstanding border accent, particularly Lucifer, about 3 feet tall with bright orange-red flowers. These are hardy as a rock and multiply readily. They should be dug and divided every two years at least. Colors are in the yellow, orange, red range. Foliage is similar to that of gladiolus.

Everyone is familiar with gladiolus. Those of us who wish to avoid the chore of staking the tall exhibition types can grow the dwarfs that grow 18 to 24 inches.

Japanese iris (I. ensata) enjoy slightly acid, moist soils, even boggy conditions. The flowers may be up to 10 inches in diameter on stems to 30 to 36 inches. Colors are blue, purple, pink and white.

Kniphofia or red-hot-poker may be considered coarse in its typical red and yellow blooms, but is less obtrusive in creamy white, ivory and yellow. These are very hardy and will form large clumps that need dividing only after several years in the garden.

There are many more corms, tubers and bulbs that flower in summer, among them lilies, which would take another whole column to describe.

source : www.app.com