Fall Blooming Bulbs For Your Garden

We all think of spring tulip and daffodil bulbs, but there are so many other hardy bulbs that give color in the garden during the year. By planting proper varieties, you can have bulbs in bloom from January through November.  But let’s focus on fall blooming varieties.  Some of these bulbs produce their foliage in the spring that feeds the bulb for their fall bloom.  Others produce the foliage at the bloom time.  These fall blooming varieties are dormant during the summer, not bothered by drought or heat.  Then as the summer season begins to close these fresh blooming jewels appear in the garden, starting with Lycoris.  Commonly called ‘Magic Lilies’ or ‘Naked Ladies’ they seem to sprout overnight, with tall stems of pink lilies.  Planting them near hosta, peonies or any spring blooming plant they give that area a new burst of color. Then the fall varieties of hardy cyclamen begin to show their delicate flowers prior to the foliage coming that will be evergreen all winter till it goes dormant in the spring.  We all know of spring crocus, but what about fall blooming crocus.  There are many varieties from Crocus speciosus, C.zonatus, and even the Crocus ‘Sativus’ which produces the spice saffron.  For cooks this is a plus, as you can grow it in your own garden. One group of bulbs that are not widely known, but create a huge interest in our gardens is the Colchicum varieties.  These beauties look like a crocus on steroids, in pinks, lavenders and white.  They are 3 inches to 6 inches tall with large cupped blooms or as a huge double blooming flower.  There is a rarer crocus like bloom in bright yellow for fall called Sternbergia.  Its color is so bright that you can see it across the garden.  
All of these wonderful fall blooming bulbs will accept sun or shade, so even those darker spots in the garden can have fall color.  So get planting!