Summer's show-off bulbs - recommended flowering plants include acidanthera, calla, dahlia, gladiolus, lily, Mexican shell flower, tuberose, and tuberous begonia; growing tips are included

Sunset, Spring, 1997 by Dick Bushnell

LILY (Lilium). Bulbs, all zones. Blooms late spring through summer, depending on the variety. Asiatic hybrids come in vivid shades of yellow, orange, red, and pink. Later-blooming Oriental hybrids bear fragrant flowers with pink or white petals marked with center stripes and speckles in contrasting colors; 'Casa Blanca' and 'Star Gazer' are very fragrant varieties. These hybrids grow 5 to 6 feet tall; dwarf varieties (to 2 feet tall) work well in containers.

Growing tips. Full sun near the coast, filtered sun in hot-summer climates. Plant in early spring as soon as soil is workable; in mild-winter areas of California and Arizona, you can also plant in fall or winter. In the garden, set bulbs 8 inches deep (deeper in lighter soil, shallower in heavy soil). In containers, plant five bulbs 4 to 6 inches deep in fast-draining soil mix in pots at least 1 foot deep and 16 inches in diameter. Feed plants with low-nitrogen fertilizer when buds emerge and once after flowering, ln the warmest-winter areas, you can dig bulbs after foliage dies down, bag them in peat moss, and store in the refrigerator to provide sufficient "winter" chill.

MEXICAN SHELL FLOWER (Tigridia pavonia). Bulbs, all zones. Blooms July and August. Each flower lasts for only a single day, but a succession of flowers prolongs the show to two to three weeks or more. And what a show! The 3- to 6-inch-wide blossoms have triangular outer segments in solid shades (white, yellow, apricot, pink, and red) and smaller inner segments and center cups with blotched or spotted patterns resembling exotic sea shells.

Growing tips. Full sun near the coast, afternoon shade inland. For the best display, plant bulbs in groups of 10 to 12. In rich, porous soil, set bulbs 2 to 4 inches deep and 4 to 8 inches apart. In containers, plant six to eight bulbs in a 9-inch pot. Water regularly and feed every two weeks with a mild solution of liquid fertilizer. In mild-winter areas, bulbs can stay in the ground; divide them every three to four years. In cold-winter areas, let the foliage ripen, then dig bulbs and store.

TUBEROSE (Polianthes tuberosa). Tuberous roots, zones 15-17, 22-24. Blooms summer through fall. White flowers with a fragrance heady enough to perfume a room are borne in clusters on 3-foot-tall stems over grasslike leaves. Single- and double-flowered forms are available. Tuberoses need a long warm season to bloom well; in areas with cool or short summers, they can be started indoors in pots, and then moved outdoors as the weather warms.

Growing tips. Sun. ln well-drained garden soil amended with organic matter, set roots 2 inches deep and 4 to 6 inches apart. For container culture, plant one or two tubers in a 6-inch pot or three tubers in a 9-inch pot filled with a medium containing i part peat moss, 1 part compost or leaf mold, and 1 part builder's sand or perlite. After leaves appear, begin regular watering. In areas with alkaline soil or water, feed plants with acid-type fertilizer. In mild-winter areas, tubers can remain in the ground (divide clumps every four years), but even in these areas, as well as in colder climates, it's best to dig bulbs after foliage yellows, cut off the dead leaves, let roots dry for a couple of weeks, and store in a warm place.