Now that spring has finally arrived, it’s time to start looking ahead and preparing your outdoor space for beautiful blooms in summer. As well as flowers, this is an excellent time to start growing your own fruit and vegetables, as these will add variety to your garden and be a sustainable source of food that supports bees and other insects.
To help you create a beautiful summertime garden, here are some of the best bulbs to plant during the spring months.
Daylilies
For hardy flowers that thrive no matter the weather, daylilies are a great choice. They’re fragrant and colourful, and look great in both pots and borders.
While they do prefer sunny conditions, they’re drought-resistant and very easy to grow in other conditions. They don’t need to be lifted in winter either, so you can simply trim the foliage towards the end of the year and wait for them to blossom again in summer.
Just be aware that all types of lilies are highly toxic to cats, so this one is best avoided if you have one that roams your garden.
Agapanthus
Agapanthus begin to flower around mid-summer, so they’re a wonderful option if you’re looking to stagger your blooms and want your garden to stay filled with colour throughout the summer season. They’re best planted in full sun or partial shade, and are a wonderful addition if you want to attract bees to your garden.
Crocosmias
Similar to agapanthus, crocosmias are an excellent choice if you want your garden to stay colourful throughout the second half of summer. In fact, these flowers last well into autumn, and thanks to their warm autumnal shades, they actually make for a great transitional plant. Similar to daylilies, these can be left in the ground over winter, and are a hardy flower that is easy to grow in various soil types.
Calla lilies
Another great option for attracting and supporting bee colonies, calla lilies are strikingly beautiful and easy to grow and care for. However, they are more sensitive to the cold than other flower varieties, so you’ll need to bring them inside if you want them to survive the winter months. Again, as a type of lily, these flowers should be avoided if you have a cat.
Beans, tomatoes, and strawberries
It’s not just flowers that’ll give your garden texture and colour. Fruits and vegetables can be strategically planted in spring to create a stunning, varied outdoor space and save you money on your food shopping.
Beans, tomatoes, and strawberries are easy to grow, but if you’d rather not raise them from seed, you can purchase starter plants from your local nursery. Having had a bit of a head start, these will be more resistant to pests and bad weather.
Of course, there are plenty of other delicious fruits and vegetables you can grow. If you’re new to gardening, take some time to learn the basics, like how to plan your vegetable garden, prepare the soil, sow your seeds, and position them so they thrive. The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) has lots of useful tips to get you started.
Get outdoors and create something beautiful
Gardening can be a rewarding hobby, and even a small garden or a few pots can become a space you’re proud of if you take the time to nurture it. Creating a stunning garden doesn’t have to be complicated, either, as with a bit of time and effort, it’s possible to turn your outdoor space into somewhere that feels calm and colourful, somewhere you’ll enjoy spending time in.
Just remember how important the timing is. Many plants, like the ones we’ve mentioned, need to be planted early enough in the year to start growing before the warmer months arrive. Planting your flowers during spring gives them the chance to grow steadily and get ready to bloom in the summer.
Paying attention to the season and planning ahead can make a big difference to how your garden turns out. Whether you’re an experienced gardener or are just getting started, spring is a wonderful time to get outdoors and create something beautiful in the garden.
