Summer bulbs make it easy to take your pots and planters to new heights. With their bold foliage and exotic flowers, they are the perfect “thrillers” for container plantings. Simply plant the bulbs in spring at the same time as you’re planting annuals. By midsummer, these heat-loving bulbs will be starting to fill out. By late summer, they’ll be in their prime and will continue looking great well into the fall.
Narcissus ‘Tete-a-tete’
Narcissus ‘Tete-a-Tete’ is one of the most popular daffodils for containers – it’s small but perfectly formed, with small yellow trumpets. If you didn’t get around to planting bulbs in autumn, plants are widely available in garden centres in spring. Other narcissus to try include dainty but robust ‘W.P Milner’. Any triandrus variety, such as ‘Ice Wings’ or ‘Hawera’, work well also.
Tulips
All tulips love the sharp drainage they get in containers, so if you can’t grow them in your garden soil, this is a great way to grow them. Just make sure they have a sunny spot. They will flower in April or May, depending on the variety. Tulip ‘West Point’ makes a big impact, as well as making an unusual addition to a border.
Daffodils (Narcissus spp.)
Daffodils grow best in cool to temperate climates but they can also be grown in warmer areas as an annual. After the plants have finished flowering and the foliage has died off, the bulbs can be removed from the soil and stored in a cool, dry place for the next year.
Lilies
Lilies bloom in a rainbow of beautiful colors and many types are wonderfully fragrant. Asiatic and Oriental lilies are the best for containers. The bulbs can be paired with other plants, but they prefer being planted in pots on their own.
Plan ahead for late summer color by planting Oriental lily bulbs in 2-gallon pots. Keep the pots in an out of the way location and then move them into a prominent spot as they come into bloom.
Anemone
Anemones are beautiful, brightly colored flowers that are perfect for pots and containers in a sunny spot in your yard. They produce a succession of flowers over spring and can produce up to 20 flowers per bulb.
Dahlias
Dahlias aren’t often thought of as container plants, but there are some that perform very well. Container-grown dahlias will give you lots of late summer color and even some nice flowers for cutting.
Most full size dahlias, including dinnerplates, grow 4 to 6 feet tall. If you want to try growing them in containers, you’ll need to provide very large pots and have a good way to support the stems.
Hyacinths
‘Woodstock’ is one of the most beautiful hyacinths you can grow, with unusual, rich-purple blooms. It works beautifully in pots but also looks good in a spring border. Other gyacinths to grow include Hyacinthus orientalis ‘Carnegie’, which bears fragrant white flowers in April and May. ‘City of Haarlem’ is an unusual warm yellow, while ‘Delft Blue’, a pretty pale blue.
Iris (Iris germanica)
Iris can be successfully grown in containers. Make sure your pot has good drainage. Water only when the top two inches of soil are dry. When bloom buds begin to appear in the fans, bring the pot inside and place in a bright sunny window. After bloom, be sure to divide your Iris and replant outside or into more pots.