It's time to plant summer-flowering bulbs!

And here are a few tips on the most common varieties, like gladiolus, dahlias, and lilies. By the way, many summer-flowering bulbs make great cut flowers. It's almost like having a florist in your own backyard all summer.

Glads and Dahlias

When planting glads and dahlias, remember they're tall, so place them in the background to frame other flowers. Most packages include planting instructions, but a good rule of thumb to remember is you want to plant the bulb about three times deeper than its width. If you have clay soil, add some soil amendments to improve it.

For glads, consider varying your planting times to stagger the bloom periods. And remember, hummingbirds love glads.

Dahlias come in all bloom sizes and colors. Keep an eye on the taller varieties as you may need to stake them for added support.

Lilies are many gardeners' favorites...

Especially those with a spicy-sweet fragrance! A good idea is to set aside a special area or your garden devoted to lilies. There are literally hundreds of varieties and colors to choose from, giving you endless possibilities. It's something you can add to, trying a few new varieties each year. Growers are always coming up with something fun and different when it comes to lilies.

So get out and buy your summer-flowering bulbs soon because the garden centers won't have them for long...

While much of the information in these tips is applicable in several gardening zones/climates, some of the plants and timing suggested are best suited to the Northwest, generally in the mild/wet growing regions found along the I-5 corridor. You should make appropriate adjustments or consult local gardening experts in regions whose climates differ from this area of the Northwest.