By choosing bulbs wisely in summer and planting in a suitable position, their fresh colourful flowers can be enjoyed throughout autumn
Many bulbs flower in autumn and early winter, but their names can be confusing. Colchicum species are often called autumn crocuses, or naked ladies, but are not in the crocus family.
Colchicum
These flowers emerge in autumn on bare stems, yet their large leaves are not produced until the following spring.
The blooms are typically goblet-shaped and larger and showier than those of crocuses. Species such as Colchicum byzantinum and C. agrippinum thrive in fertile, well-drained soils in an open, sunny site but may suffer from autumnal squalls - in exposed gardens plant the more weather-resistant C. speciosum ‘Album’. Plant in borders or lawns, singly or in small groups, by late summer, at a depth of 10cm (4in). Label them clearly as the emerging flower stems can be damaged by hoeing or mowing.
Cyclamen
The easiest to
establish is Cyclamen hederifolium. Flowering from August onwards, the leaves form a colourful display in their own right over winter (left).
For flowers in September, try C. cilicium and C. mirabile: both thrive in dry soils below conifer canopies. Dwarf cultivars of C. persicum are not fully hardy in the UK but can be effective when used as autumn bedding. Cyclamen need shelter from sun, wind and frost, and a free-draining soil. Ensure plants are not sourced from wild stock, and that they are in leaf and flower, as dry tubers are difficult to establish
if planted straight into the garden.
Crocus
For best effect, plant autumn-flowering crocus corms in late summer, 5–8cm (2-3in) deep in drifts at the front of borders between small perennials, in rock gardens, troughs or pots. For pot cultivation use an equal mix of loam, multipurpose compost and grit: most species prefer well-drained soils and ideally full sun.
Crocus goulimyi, C. medius, C. kotschyanus and C. robertianus thrive on poorer soils. More vigorous species can be naturalised in grass; C. laevigatus, C. pulchellus and C. speciosus all perform well here. The grass should be mown as normal until late summer, but then not cut again until the following spring to allow the crocus foliage to die down naturally.
For more fertile and moist sites, try C. banaticus or C. nudifolius. Less-vigorous species and those that require a dry summer dormancy, such as C. boryi and C. cancellatus, are best grown in pots in an alpine house or a cold frame
Crocus sativus (the dried stamens of which are the spice saffron) needs to be planted at a depth of 12-18cm (5-7in) in a well-drained, rich, fertile soil; give overhead protection to shelter the delicate flower and its valuable stamens from the elements.
There are many other species and cultivars that will do well given suitable conditions but quality and availability vary.
William Denne