Our Garden by Linda Cobb

Our Garden in Summertime

Believe me when I say summertime is just around the corner.  I know you don’t believe me, but trust me.  It is coming.  Start planning right now for that summer bloom.  After the bulbs have bloomed their brains out during the early spring, the roses take over and dazzle us with their show.  After that, though, what comes next?  The really talented gardener knows how to sit down and plan it out....the bloom cycle that is.

Daylilies are key of course in keeping your garden going.  I do believe that they are the back bone of the summer garden.  Now add to that a bunch of mid summer blooming lilies.  I mean the four foot tall ones like ‘Casa Blanca’ and some of the trumpet lilies.  I have a nice sprinkling of these summer blooming lilies.  They are usually planted in the mid to back of the border.  They almost always need staking, but don’t let that deter you.  The show they will put on is amazing.

Summer blooming lilies show up looking like a huge onion or tulip bulb.  You can buy bags of them at the big box stores, like Lowes or Home Depot.  Just be sure to squeeze them to be sure that they are firm.  They should be planted in a hole about four to six inches deep with the root end at the bottom of course.  Cover them over with soil and sit back and wait for the show.  When I plant these tall bloomers I usually plant about three or four bulbs near each other in a group.

There are many types of summer blooming bulbs to choose from.  I love the ‘Casa Blanca’ lilies.  There are oriental lilies with their spicey fragrance, trumpet lilies that stand five and six feet tall that have trumpet shaped flowers overloading single stems, and the new orienpet lilies that are a cross between the orientals and the trumpets.  These new ones bring a better seletion of colors to us as well as hardier varieties that can stand some more drought conditions than others.  Check out www.johnscheepers.com or www.lilybulb.com and see what is available.  This year I have planted a new one called ‘Eyeliner’.  It is a big white lily with its edges lined in black. 

In addition to the summer blooming lilies take a look at planting some dahlias.  I have grown dahlias for three years now, and every year I place a big order with Swan Island Dahlias (www.dahlias.com) and when they get here I plant them out in April.  They like to have no water until they are up out of the ground.  I stake them and sit back and wait.  They begin blooming in late June and will bloom until the end of October.  They come in any size bloom from 1 inch to 10 inch dinner plate sizes. Since these plants are big and the stems are hollow, you will need to stake them or tie them up. Try a few of them and you will not be sorry.

Between the summer blooming lilies and the dahlias your summer garden will be screaming flower power.  The important thing is to make the move now to order or buy these lilies and dahlias.  Get them in the ground and you will be ahead of the game.  Then you can sit back and enjoy the show.

Now, finally, go check out the new pictures I have uploaded into my photo gallery.  I want to be sure that you see my windowboxes that I did this year.  They are loaded with succulents and agave.  I thought that since the windowboxes are so small and there is not really alot of room in there and that it is all full sun, that I would try something different this year.  So go see.

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