Benefits

When you compare a tiled garden with a green garden, the latter brings considerable additional benefits. A garden with lots of greenery absorbs more water, thereby limiting any nuisance during heavy rain. It also keeps your garden cool, provides insects such as bees and butterflies with food, and creates hiding places for small animals like birds and hedgehogs. Summer bulbs are essential within the green category because they create more biodiversity.

Nectar

To increase biodiversity, it is important to have many nectar-rich plants in the garden. Nectar is a sweet substance in the flowers that insects like to feast on. Summer bulbs with open flowers ensure that the insects have easy access to the nectar. Think of dahlias, gladioli (Gladiolus), freesias, crested lilies (Eucomis) and blazing star (Liatris). Plant these summer bulbs between March and May, to create a sea of flowers from June to October.

Tips:

• You don’t necessarily need a garden to have more greenery. Summer bulbs also work well in pots or containers that you can put on your balcony or patio.
• Butterflies are not keen on drafts and wind. That is why it is best to plant summer bulbs in a sheltered spot in the garden.
• Summer bulbs combine nicely with shrubs, perennials and ornamental grasses.
• Did you know that butterflies, bumblebees, and bees each have their own preference? Therefore, plant various types of nectar-rich summer bulbs in your garden.
• Summer bulbs are not frost-resistant. Remove them from the ground in autumn (and keep them) or buy new ones in spring.