In the depths of Winter, it is always hard to think of long Summer days in the garden, but by planting your summer bulbs now you will get a head start and the promise of a colourful Summer to come!

For a great display from early Summer to late Autumn, summer bulbs will make a great addition to any garden, whether planting in pots, hanging baskets or in your borders, they will give you a blast of colour year after year.

From small bulbs such as Anemone, Ixia and Sparaxis which can be planted in alpine beds or rockeries, to larger varieties such as Begonia and Dahlia, there is something for everyone in the range we have put together this year!

Available from February across all of our In-Excess Garden Centres!

Exotic Blooms

Lilies look exotic but are super easy to grow in the garden or in pots, producing blooms from June to early autumn. (Keep in mind though, every part of the Lily is poisonous to pets).

Brodiaea is a striking blue flower also known as the 'Triplet Lily'. Foliage appears in the Spring followed by the bright blue flowers which appear in early Summer. This perennial bulb will naturalise in the right position of dry, warm soils and full sun, reaching a height of 50cm, making it a great addition to borders or pots.

Lily Tip! Find a location in your garden that is sunny, sheltered from wind, and drains well, and plant the bulbs 15cm apart and three times the depth of the height of the bulb.

Mixing Shapes & Textures

Anemone De Caen will add a different texture to your baskets and pots with its parsley-like leaves and bowl-shaped flowers in red, blue, violet and white. Flowering earlier, from March/April, it is happy in full to part sun.

Anemone St Brigid is the semi-double to double flowered variety which comes in the same array of jewel-like coloured. Anemones can also be cut and brought into the house - a posy on a windowsill looks so romantic and heralds the start of Summer! They also look fantastic planted in alpine beds or rockeries, giving a vibrant splash of colour.

Anemone Tip! For best results, soak the bulbs in water for around 12 hours before planting, this softens the hard outer coating of the bulb, then plant to a depth of 3-5 cm.

Basket Beauties

Begonias trail in hanging baskets or pots, their bright blooms nodding in the summer breeze. Their blooms will flower right through from June to October, and are perfect for hanging baskets, doing well in part shade, they are ideal for those more difficult areas such as the eaves of the house or a shady wall.

For a modern look, Lily of the Valley makes a highly scented statement and is perfect by a door or entrance. Delicate white heads bobbing against the pretty greens of a shade-loving Hosta will make a chic combination!

Vases Full of Colour

Bulbs produce such a beautiful range of flowers, perfect for cutting and bringing indoors, and these are some of our favourite florals!

Gladioli, although once thought to be old fashioned, have made a big comeback in recent years! By planting a few bulbs every couple of weeks, you will have a succession of cut flowers throughout the season.

A bunch of Dahlias arranged in a glass vase is quintessentially English although Dahlias themselves originate from South America. They will add a colour splash to a midsummer garden, the more blooms that you cut and deadhead, the more flowers buds you receive in return!

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