Summer containers can be started from bulbs, or many may be purchased as bedding or container plants at garden centers. Pineapple lilies: with their fabulous pineapple look-a-like tuft atop a 16-inch spire of tiny greenish-white flowers and base of broad green strappy leaves, make Eucomis bicolor a tropical plant extraordinaire. For the most outrageous effect, plant an odd number of bulbs in a large pot or barrel. The plants bloom in July and August and retain an interesting look after flowering. Place in full sun or light shade. Canna lilies: for non-stop flowers from July until frost, try canna lilies with their distinctive tropical foliage of large bronze or green leaves and gigantic red, orange, pink or yellow flowers. Canna lilies grow wild along country roads throughout the Mediterranean region but find life in a pot (or summer garden) in the US enjoyable too! To plant the Canna lily root, turn it on its side and bury it one-inch beneath the soil surface. Canna lilies love full sun and hot weather. And there are so many great lilies! Elegant lily cultivars make wonderful pot plants! Most perform perfectly in containers, the larger the pot the better. No other flower is so divinely showy and impressive. For a container 10 inches in diameter, plant three lilies, positioning each about four-inches below the soil surface. Asiatic lilies that flower from early to mid-summer will do well in containers, as will the later-flowering Oriental lilies in full sun or partial shade. Lilies of the Nile: The Agapanthus produces brilliant blue flowers and can be found along the Nile. It’s definitely exotic — definitely a must for a container garden! The flowers cluster atop three-foot stems towering above a whorl of bright green blade-like leaves. Best in a large container (one to three bulbs per container). In colder areas, protect the container during the winter and the Agapanthus will produce even more flowers next year. Peak bloom: mid-summer to early fall. Full sun to partial shade.