by Marie Hofer, HGTV.com
It always seems like a bit of magic that a simple tuber, bulb or corm can erupt into astoundingly colorful flowers. So when you're plotting how your garden is going to look this summer, don't forget to include the bulbs for summer-blooming flowers. They're an easy way to expand color and drama.
Dahlias. A dazzling array of colors and forms confront the gardener who's hard-pressed to choose. Start indoors two to three weeks before planting in the garden. When the bulbs have sprouted two sets of leaves, pinch off the top to leaves to encourage bushiness. Plant outside after the risk of frost has passed. Hardy only in Zones 8-10 so they have to be dug and stored over the winter in colder zones.
Caladium. Valued for their foliage, not their flowers, these tender plants can turn a shady spot in the garden into a focal point. Native to the tropics of Peru and Brazil, caladiums are very cold-sensitive. Don't plant outside till the soil and night temperatures are at least 60 degrees. Start the tubers indoors in pots, then sink the pots into your landscape beds. When it's time to prepare them for winter storage, simply pull the pots up.
Gladioli. For an impromptu hostess gift, a handful of gladioli always brings smiles. You'll want to put these into a cutting garden, though, since working their stiff forms into a landscaping scheme is pretty difficult. Plant the corms as early as a month before the average last frost date and every two weeks after that for continuous bloom. Glads are top-heavy; to reduce the amount of staking you'll have to do, plant the corms in a shallow trench. As the plant grows, add soil to the trench. A myriad of colors and heights are available.
Crocosmia. Yellow, red or orange flowers seem to float above the dense sword-like leaves. Plant corms in moist, well-drained, rich soil. Depending on the cultivar, they're hardy to about Zone 6 or 7; where they're perennial, the clumps will keep expanding. 'Lucifer' (red) blooms in mid-season; 'Golden Fleece' (yellow) blooms from mid- to late summer.
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