14 Bulbs To Plant In Spring For Summer And Fall Blooms

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Your daffodils and tulips may be fading, but bulb season is just getting started. Spring is the best time to plant many bulbs for summer and fall flowers. After the last frost passes, you can plant bulbs for gorgeous glads, elegant calla lilies, and tropical-looking cannas. Summertime flowers like dahlias can be started indoors in pots and then moved outdoors to bask in warm weather. With careful planning, flower bulbs can provide a successive show of blooms that will last for months in your garden.

We've collected our favorite bulbs you can plant in spring for summer and fall blooms. Get them in the ground now, then put your feet up and admire your garden all summer long.

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Gladiolus has beautiful sprays of flowers that will return year after year throughout the South, though some types are more sensitive to frost. Plant the bulb-like corms 4 inches deep in average to rich, well-draining soil after the last frost. Blooms appear 80-90 days after planting; a popular trick is to plant batches two weeks apart to extend blooming.

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Dahlia tubers are sensitive to frost and should be planted in spring after the ground has warmed, around the same time you would plant tomatoes. If you live in the Upper or Middle South, you can always start the tubers a few weeks early in pots indoors. Plant so the tubers are pointing down and the eye is facing up, then cover them with 2 inches of soil. Dahlias do best in rich, loose, well-draining soil with even moisture. They begin blooming in summer and will continue to adorn your garden through the fall.

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Summer-blooming lilies can be planted in spring after all danger of frost has passed. This include Asiatic, Oriental, trumpet, and tiger lilies. Lily bulbs should be planted 6 inches deep and 12 inches apart in rich, well-draining soil. The flowers may appear anytime between June and August, depending on the type of lily.

Make sure to mulch around lilies to keep the roots cool, especially if you live in the Coastal South. Water plants weekly during dry periods.

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Though bulbs can be planted anytime after the last frost, crocosmia likes warm soil and may be slow to get going. Plant the bulbs 3 or 4 inches deep to help keep the tall, sword-like foliage from flopping. You'll be rewarded in mid-to-late summer when the brilliant blooms appear. This hummingbird-friendly plant will overwinter in USDA Plant Hardiness Zones 6-9.

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Despite its common name, this florist-favorite is not a true lily. Calla lilies come in many colors and will bloom in late summer if planted in spring. Wait until the soil temperature is 65 degrees Fahrenheit, or give them an early start in pots indoors. Plant the bulbs in moist and rich soil about 3 inches deep.

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Begonias are one of the few plants on this list that will flower in shade. Tuberous begonias have show-stopping flowers and are winter-hardy in Zones 9-11. Other gardeners can enjoy them until first frost or store the tubers indoors over winter. Plant tubers in spring after nights reliably stay above 50 degrees, placing them 1 inch deep in rich, well-draining soil. You can also start begonias earlier indoors, as blooms take about 12 weeks to appear.

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Cannas have banana-leaf-like foliage and tropical-looking blooms. The rhizomes can be planted after the last frost, though growth won't appear until it's warm out. Once they emerge, the plants grow very fast and bloom throughout summer and into fall. Plant the rhizomes about 3 inches deep and 1 or 2 feet apart. Cannas are winter hardy in Zones 8 and warmer and will easily spread.

A member of the amaryllis family, crinums can be planted in late spring and survive winters in Zone 7 and farther South. Dig a hole 10 inches deep to plant the large bulbs, with the neck buried just under the surface. Give them about 2 feet of space in a warm, sheltered spot where they won't be knocked over by the wind. Don't expect this plant to bloom until the following year, but once it does, your crinum lily may last generations.

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Plant rain lily bulbs in spring after the last frost, covering the tops of the bulbs with 1 inch of soil. The grass-like foliage is hardly noticeable until after a good summer or fall rain, when blooms suddenly appear. Different types bloom at different times and may be white, pink, or yellow.

Commonly known as lily of the Nile, agapanthus may have white, blue or lavender flowers and be tall or compact. This plant is winter-hardy in Zones 8-11 and grows well in the Coastal South. Plant rhizomes after all danger of frost and place them so the crown is just under the soil surface. In frost-free areas, agapanthus may continue blooming in the fall.

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Freesia is typically grown as an annual cut flower for bouquets, though it will overwinter in Zones 9 and 10. Spring planting is best in cooler climes that don't experience extreme heat in summer. Once daytime temperatures reach 55-60 degrees, plant the corms 5 inches deep and 4 inches apart. You can enjoy the blooms in late summer.

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Pineapple lily is deceptively named as it happens to be a member of the asparagus family. This striking tropical plant can survive as far north as Zone 7 with protection. Plant the bulbs 3 to 4 inches deep in warm, fertile soil the same time you would plant your tomatoes. Blooms will appear throughout the summer and fall.

Also called butterfly ginger because of its blooms, this plant has sweet-scented, pure white flowers that appear from late summer until a fall frost. Plant the rhizomes just under the soil surface in early spring after the last frost. This plant needs consistently moist soil and is reliably hardy in Zones 8-10.

Poppy anemones are planted in the fall in Zones 7 and warmer so that they can bloom in cool spring weather before going dormant. In the Upper South, you can plant anemones in early spring in pots. Dried corms must be soaked for a few hours before planting them 2 inches deep in containers. Anemones prefer temperatures that range between 45 and 70 degrees, so bring the pots indoors if a freeze is expected. Dig up corms for storage once plants go dormant in summer.