By Joel M. Lerner
Saturday, April 1, 2006

It's the time of the year to see what you created when you planted bulbs in autumn. Bulbs rule in early spring -- daffodils, tulips, fritillarias, hyacinths, trilliums, snowdrops, winter aconites, scillas, crocuses and grape-hyacinths.

But bulbs flower almost year round, and spring, not fall, is the time for planting many of them. Why not Chinese ground orchid, blackberry lily, canna lily, elephant's ear, lily of the valley, crocosmia, hardy cyclamen, dahlia, summer hyacinth, gladiolus, day lily, iris and lilium that can continue a coordination of bloom through summer and fall?

Common usage of the term "bulb" refers to a variety of bulbous-rooted plants with specialized thick or fleshy underground plant growth for storing food. They could be corms, rhizomes, tubers or bulbs depending on their exact physiology.

Here are the bulbs to plant in spring for summer and fall:

· Chinese ground orchid ( Bletilla striata ): Early spring is the time to plant this terrestrial orchid. In late spring, its lavender or white flowers open on two-foot-tall scapes and bloom for about two weeks. The plant should be mulched with a few inches of compost for winter protection and have full eastern sun and hot afternoon shade. Install in a moist well-drained area, with lots of organic material, and grow in an undisturbed area to form a colony.

· Blackberry lily ( Belamcanda chinensis ): Drought- and heat-tolerant, with few pests, this underused Asian member of the iris family should be planted in spring, just below the soil surface. The rhizomatous root will grow strap-shaped, iris-looking leaves and bloom in summer on two-to-three-foot-tall stems. It bears yellow, orange and yellow, or crimson flowers in any type of soil. Keep moist during growing season.

· Canna lily: There are numerous hybrids of cannas available. They bloom in many colors, including rose, pink, yellow, red and orange, and they can grow three to six feet tall. Their greatest asset is that they bloom all summer. Prune stalks with fading flowers and others grow to replace them. Plant in a protected site in full sun. Lay a few inches of mulch over roots for winter, but canna's rhizomes will not survive frozen soil. So, you can also dig and store them in a cool, dry place during winter. Plant about an inch deep in well-drained soil, rich in organic material.

· Elephant ear ( Colocasia esculenta ): Grown ornamentally for its huge leaves, the tuber is used to make poi , a popular food in the plant's native East Indies and tropical Asia. It loves water and will grow in continually wet sites, so it does well in moist, well-drained soils that are high in organic content. Often planted as an annual, the tubers can be dug and replanted the following spring. Plant three feet apart, keep moist, and watch them go. They perform well in sun or shade.

· Lily of the valley ( Convallaria majalis ): Lily of the valley will colonize into a spring-flowering, low-growing ground cover. This member of the lily family loves cold and needs partial shade to thrive. Warmth makes the rhizome sprout, so get them planted as soon as possible. Install one inch deep in rich soil. Then, do not disturb. Note: All parts are poisonous. Use this exceptionally fragrant flowering plant with care around children.

· Crocosmia: Hybrids are available with orange, red or yellow flowers. This South African member of the iris family is a summertime standout, grown in full sun in well-drained sandy loam. The hardy corm grows flowers two to four feet tall and has sword-shaped leaves. Mulch for winter protection. Plant three inches apart in two inches of soil.

· Hardy cyclamen ( C. hederifolium ): These cyclamen are fully hardy shade plants, making them one of the finest for most gardens. Their corms produce flowers from small, twiggy protuberances on the corm. Plant flat side down, since the roots and leaves both emerge from the top. It will produce pink or white flowers in late summer to early fall. Often spread by seed, corms produce flowers up to 12 inches across. Plant no deeper than two inches. (For more information, see http://www.cyclamen.org/ .)

· Dahlia: This Mexican, Central and South American native tuberous root plant has been hybridized for the varieties of flowers it produces. Blossoms are bred for size, flower, form and color. Bicolor flowers are magnificent. There are 12 groups that have been created, offering an overwhelming choice of colors and flower types. Dahlias lend themselves well to manipulation and specialized pruning to create an amazing collection of flowers. Plant tuber one to three inches deep in rich sandy loam. It flowers for a long period from summer into fall. Many garden varieties of dahlias will winter over with some mulch and grow back to flower the following year. (For more information, see http://www.dahlia.org/ .)

· Summer hyacinth ( Galtonia candicans ): This is another South African native with white flowers for several weeks in summer on four-foot-tall stalks. Bulbs are best left in the ground and mulched for winter protection. Requires good soil preparation with excellent drainage and light soil rich in compost and sand. Plant this true bulb six inches deep in full sun on about one-foot centers. It makes a fine cut flower.

· Gladiolus: This predominantly iris-family corm is a popular summer flowering plant requiring full sun and light, moist, well-drained soil. It comes in every color but blue and is known for its late spring to early summer flowers. Often dug and stored over winter, corms must have good air circulation. Insecticide and fungicide are needed to ensure protection of corms. Hardier gladiolus, like hybrids of Turkish gladiolus ( G. communis Subsp. byzantinus ) are left in ground and mulched for winter protection. They will return for several years. Plant the corms about six inches apart and six inches deep. (For more information, see http://www.gladworld.org/ .)

· Day lily ( Hemerocallis ): The day lily hails from Japan and Europe. It is a popular and dependable spring and summer flowering plant, easily hybridized to yield many colors and forms. The tuberous roots are not demanding. Sunshine and water are all it needs. Easily divided, plant in full sun, just below the soil surface, about two feet apart. (For more information, see http://www.daylilies.org/ .)

· Iris: There are many different irises native to different parts of the world. The most popular have rhizomatous roots and bloom late spring and summer. Bearded iris is always an eye-catcher in late spring. Japanese irises have large, almost flat flowers that can be up to 10 inches wide later in the season. They like boggy conditions while growing, but will tolerate dryness after pushing new growth. Both have hundreds of hybrids available in white, blue, lavender, pink and yellow. There are many other species. (For more information, see http://www.irises.org/ .)

· Lilium: This is the time to plant the fragrant and colorful "true" lilies ( Lilium species). It is a true bulb that grows one to seven feet, depending on the species and hybrid. There are at least nine divisions, based on country of origin, and they are planted at varying times of the year. All prefer moist, well-drained soil, high in organic material, planting depths vary according to plant. (For more information, see http://www.lilies.org/ .)

A landscape design with bulbs is most effective when installed in drifts or waves of the same color. Always buy multiples of eight to 10 or more of each variety. If you like to mix colors that all bloom at the same time, sprinkle them evenly for the best effect.

There are specialized bulb-planting tools that push straight down into the soil and remove a plug at the proper depth. If you prefer electric planting, there are augers that fit on a half-inch electric drill. They are sold at garden or home improvement centers. Hold the drill firmly with two hands and allow it to do the work. If the auger hooks into a root, it helps if the drill has a reverse setting.

Most good garden centers stock a variety of bulbs. A couple of sources by mail are Brent and Becky's Bulbs (804-693-3966, http://www.brentandbeckysbulbs.com/ ) or Dutch Gardens (888-821-0448, http://www.dutchgardens.com/ ). I consider the finest text on bulbs to be "Bulbs, Revised Edition," by John E. Bryan (Timber Press, 2002).

Joel M. Lerner is president of Environmental Design in Capitol View Park, Md. E-mail or contact him through his Web site,http://www.gardenlerner.com.