One final flourish
Summer is fading but planting autumn bulbs now will ensure a glorious last injection of colour
THIS time last year, I was mooching around the fabulous plant shop at the Royal Horticultural Society’s flagship garden at Wisley in Surrey, when I spotted some pick ’n’ mix style boxes containing meadow saffron bulbs. I immediately sought out a shopping basket and went back to snap up a selection of different varieties.
Among my haul of these cracking late bloomers (known botanically as colchicum) was C. graceum ‘Harlekijn’ – the distinctive violet and white flowers are shaped like a jester’s hat. I planted the bulbs at the front of some beds, making sure they were in full sun and had plenty of space to flourish.
I didn’t have to wait long for the colchicums to make their mark.
They’re as hard as nails and will bulk up slowly underground
Less than five weeks later, their flower buds nosed their way above the surface of the soil to supply a much welcomed injection of colour. Lasting about two to three weeks, the leafless flowers provided a last hurrah before summer finally slipped away.
Colchicums are my favourite autumn-flowering bulbs but they are certainly not the only ones that can be set in the ground now to dish out a late burst of colour. Autumn daffodil (sternbergia), scilla, autumn crocus and autumn snowflake (Acis autumnalis) will bring joy from September to November, depending on variety.
Being as hard as nails, these bulbs are not just one-season wonders that will die off over winter. Once planted they’ll bulk up slowly under the ground during their spring growing season, ensuring they deliver an even more impressive autumn show as the years go by.
Native to parts of Africa, Asia and Europe, many wild colchicums make fine garden plants but their ranks have been expanded through plant breeding. There are close to 100 different ones, ranging in height from 2in to 8in, with gobletshaped blooms in shades of white, pink and purple. Some are decorated with a chequered pattern.
Once their flowers start to wither, colchicums develop underground, leading to a clump of lush, dark green leaves appearing in spring. These will die back in early summer as the plant enters a short period of dormancy before flowering again in the autumn. This unusual life cycle is mimicked by other autumn-flowering bulbs.
Celebrated for their spring flowers, the crocus family includes several that bloom in autumn. Perhaps the best known are the varieties of Crocus speciosus, such as ‘Albus’ and ‘Cassiope’. Other winners include C. pulchellus and C. tournefortii, a species from Crete with lavender flowers.
Those who fancy growing something a little bit different could try Crocus sativus, whose deep red stigmas are harvested commercially as saffron threads. Apart from saving you a fortune on the world’s most expensive spice, the plant will brighten up gardens during October and November with its lilac, purple-veined flowers.
Late-flowering bulbs like a sunny spot and well-drained soil. They are ideal for growing at the front of beds and borders, setting alongside paths and dotting into rock gardens. I use them to add a splash of colour under trees and shrubs.
As for planting, set scillas 3in deep and sternbergias 5in deep. Put colchicums in 4in-deep holes, wearing gloves when handling as all parts are toxic. Plant other types at a depth of three times their own size. For an impressive display, arrange in groups of five, spacing bulbs up to 12in apart.