30 AMATEUR GARDENING 13 JULY 2019
Colchicum speciosum ‘Album’ AGM
Inarguably one of the best autumn bulbs. Robust enough to stand up well
to wild seasonal weather, it carries masses of pure-white flowers that barely
open enough for you to see inside them. Flowers: Oct. H: 6in (15cm).
3 for growing in grass
Galanthus
reginae-olgae
A snowdrop? In autumn?
That’s right. What’s
more, it looks very
similar to the common
winter snowdrop. The
flower comes first, the
leaves (with a distinctive
silvery stripe down the
centre) appearing much
later. Flowers: Oct.
H: 3½in (8cm).
Zephyranthes candida
The common name suggests
that the Peruvian swamp lily
should be planted in a bog,
but it grows well in a pot in a
sunny spot. The white crocus-
like blooms are often flushed
pale pink on the backs of the
petals. Flowers: Aug-Sept.
H: 8in (20cm).
4 bulbs for autumn pots
Amaryllis belladonna AGM
Thick purple stems carry
large, loose heads of six
or more funnel-shaped
flowers – the petal tips are
a strong pink, fading to
white towards the centre.
Blooms have a soft, apple-
like scent. Flowers: Oct.
H: 32in (80cm).
Eucharis amazonica AGM
A tender subject, Amazon lily
needs indoor protection in
winter. Each head carries up
to eight highly scented white
blooms, so keep it in a pot
on the patio where you can
appreciate the fragrance
when passing by. Flowers:
Sept-Oct. H: 28in (70cm).
Crocus cartwrightianus
AGM
Pale to bright-purple crocus
flowers appear at the same
time as the leaves. In a pot,
they’ll respond best when
given a hot summer baking,
and fed in early spring as the
leaves die back. Flowers:
Oct-Nov. H: 3½in (8cm).
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