Unusual Spring and Summer Flowering Bulbs
While daffodils and tulips are always a welcome sight in the spring, pictured above are some out of the ordinary bulbs that are great for spring and early summer blooms.
1 – Eremurus sp.(Foxtail Lily)- Tall spikes of starry florets; extremely showy and eye-catching; for a sunny, very well drained border; protection from strong winds helpful; makes excellent cut flowers; very late spring or early summer; plant in full sun, 32″ tall; hardy in zones 5-8.
Ornamental onions perform beautifully, blooming very late spring through early summer; they add a different, architectural dimension to the garden; many suitable for Heirloom gardens and sunny, well-drained meadows; also wonderful for cut and dried flowers; Giant (volleyball-softball), 1 per sq. ft.; Large (baseball-tennis ball), 5 per sq. ft.; Small(golf ball – marble), 10 per sq. ft.;
2 – Allium ‘Globemaster’ – sparkling silvery pinkish purple softball to volleyball sized flowers that produce secondary florets; extending bloom life. Premiere hybrid. 2 1/2′ – 3′ tall; blooms very late spring.
3 – Allium christophii – (albopilosum) lots of loosely formed, starry, silvery amethyst flowers compressed to make one large, round spidery head about the size of a softball; spectacular cut flower and amazing coming up through hostas, Bergenia or other ground covers; 12″-24″ tall; zones 3-8; blooms very late spring; introduced 1901.
4 – Allium sphaerocephalon – (Drumstick allium) This dark purple/maroon, tightly formed small, quarter sized flower is a super perennial and looks great with Asiatic Lilies or Hemerocallis; early to mid-summer; heirloom from 1594; 18″-30″ tall, zones 5-8.
5 – Tulipa clusiana var. chrysantha – (Species tulip)exterior petals are red and the interior is bright, sunny yellow; larger clone of T. chrysantha; mid spring; 8″-10″ tall; mid spring, hardy zones 3-8.
6 – Scilla siberica – (Siberian squill) Starry flowers that droop like bells on spikes with strap-like leaves, one of the most shade tolerant bulbs; strikingly blue form that naturalizes freely when planted in suitable location; early spring blooming; Heirloom bulbs 1796; 5″-7″ tall, hardy in zones 4-8.
7 – Fritillaria meleagris – (Guinea Hen flower) Extremely variable mixture of solitary, nodding, bell-shaped, reddish purple to black, faintly checkered green, to pure white flowers; great with Marsh Marigolds in damp meadow; 1572; 12″-15″ tall, hardy zones 4-8.
Photos and descriptions courtesy of Brent and Becky’s Bulbs.