Plants with bold foliage, exotic-looking flowers and dreamy fragrances can add a touch of the tropics to Colorado landscapes while being sustainable, too. Many summer blooming plants that are perennial in other regions of the country can be planted and enjoyed as annuals along the Front Range.
These tender bulb-like plants are different from familiar hardy bulbs, like daffodils, tulips and crocuses, because they’re dug up in fall, stored indoors during their dormant season and replanted each spring. Because they bloom during the warmest part of the summer, they’re often called summer bulbs.
Canna flowers, gladioluses and dahlias all fit the tender bulb definition even though they grow from corms, tubers and rhizomes. These plants add glamorous foliage and striking flowers that give a sense of adventure to ordinary ornamental gardens.
Cannas can serve as a dramatic backdrop for other summer flowers because of their strong vertical habit. These plants grow well either in annual flower beds or tall containers on a patio, porch or balcony. The long and leafy stems show off frilly flowers wherever they’re planted.
To keep cannas safe over winter, dig the rhizomes after the first fall frost, and when foliage has died. Remove the leaves and cut all but a few inches of stem. Allow the roots to dry before placing in a box, covering with peat moss, sand or shredded paper, and storing in a cool, dark and well-ventilated space until spring.
Gladiolus is another tall summer-blooming plant thatap most attractive when planted in masses with other summer flowers or in nice rows of a cutting garden. The intricate flowers belie how easy they are to grow. Corms planted every few weeks from late spring into early summer ensure a longer season of flowers.
Before the first fall frost, dig the corms from the ground, place the healthiest ones in a paper bag and store in a cool, dry and dark space until time to replant next spring.
Dahlias may be the showiest of the summer bulbs because there are so many flower sizes and colors available for planting. The flowers are especially eye-catching in a flower border, but make for spectacular cut flower displays, too. Dahlias also add interest to containers and hanging baskets.
The tuberous roots can stay in the ground for a few weeks after a frost that kills stems and leaves. Dig up roots in large clumps, remove any excess soil, cover with perlite, vermiculite or sawdust, and store in a cool, dry place.
Other summer bloomers include lilies and tuberous begonias. Both of these flowering plants benefit from storing indoors to replant for a another season of tropical color next spring.
