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

TUBEROUS BEGONIA. Tubers, all zones. Blooms summer to fall. One of the most colorful performers in shady places, tuberous begonias flaunt large flowers in a variety of forms (some resemble camellias, carnations, or roses) and shades (red, pink, orange, yellow, white, and bicolors) on upright or trailing stems. Upright types, which can reach 1 to 1 1/2 feet tall and produce saucer-size blossoms, make good bedding plants. Trailing types bloom more profusely and work beautifully in hanging baskets.

Growing tips. Filtered sun. Six to eight weeks before the last spring frost, start plants indoors in flats or pots: 1/2 inch of a rooting medium (3 parts compost or peat moss to 1 part builder's sand); keep plants moist. After the last frost, set transplants outdoors in well-drained soil. Keep plants moist throughout the growing season (in hot-summer climates, plants may need misting several times daily). In foggy areas, avoid wetting foliage, to discourage mildew. Feed plants monthly with a liquid frertilizer such as fish emulsion. IN fall when leaves begin to yellow, hold off on water. When leaves fall off and stems separate easily, lift the tubers and dry them in the sun for three days, then store in a cool, dry place.