Autumn-flowering bulbs to brighten your garden

As summer fades, it’s easy to think the colourful days of the garden are behind you – but autumn-flowering bulbs can offer a vibrant second act. These useful bulbs bring unexpected splashes of colour at a time when the rest of the garden is winding down. Their striking forms and bold colours contrast beautifully with the rest of the autumn garden, helping to bridge the gap between the end of summer and the arrival of spring.

The Royal Horticultural Society’s (RHS) Award of Garden Merit (AGM) is a mark of quality for plants that have proven performance, ease of cultivation, and resilience. Here’s a selection of some of the best AGM-awarded autumn-flowering bulbs to grow in your garden. You can buy them in flower now or plant them as dry bulbs in summer.

1. Colchicum (Meadow Saffron, Naked Ladies)

Colchicums produce large, goblet-shaped flowers in shades of pink, lilac, or white. They are famously referred to as "naked ladies" because they bloom before their leaves emerge. Often mistakenly called autumn crocuses, colchicums belong to the lily family. Although the flowers are similar to crocuses, colchicums have six stamens, while crocuses have three. 

Best for: Colchicums can look rather bare without their foliage and tend to flop in wet weather. To avoid this, they’re best planted in informal settings. Try naturalising them in grass, under trees, or in shaded borders where their large, leek-like leaves won’t be too conspicuous in spring.

Care: Plant colchicum bulbs in late summer about 15cm deep and as much apart in well-drained soil, ideally in full sun to partial shade. Wear gloves when handling the bulbs as all parts of this plant are poisonous. Colchicums prefer rich, leafy soil that doesn't bake in summer. Apply an organic mulch to help conserve moisture.

AGM varieties to try:

• Colchicum autumnale ‘Nancy Lindsay’: Growing up to 15cm in height with mauve-pink flowers on dark purple stems, this is one of our favourite colchicums. It's among the earliest to flower, producing up to five flowers per corm in late summer to early autumn.
• Colchicum speciosum ‘Album’: More robust than C. autumnale, C. speciosum has larger flowers and grows up to 23cm (9 inches) tall. C. speciosum 'Album' has striking, pure white blooms.
• Colchicum ‘Waterlily’: A glorious double-flowered variety with stunning warm pink petals resembling a waterlily. This variety can grow up to 10cm in height.

2. Autumn-flowering crocus

Autumn-flowering crocuses showcase goblet-shaped flowers in shades of lilac-blue, often with darker throats and striking orange stigmas. A member of the iris family, they are short plants, typically no more than 10 cm (4 inches) tall. They are sometimes confused with colchicums, although colchicums have larger flowers and much larger clusters of leaves that appear after flowering. 

Best for: Autumn crocuses are perfect for rock gardens, gravel beds, or naturalising in grass.

Care: Plant corms in late summer or early autumn, in full sun or light shade, ensuring the soil is well-drained. Place them about 5-7cm deep and allow the leaves to die back naturally after flowering.

AGM varieties to try:

• Crocus speciosus (Bieberstein's Crocus): Blooming from late September to October, C. speciosus is one of the showiest and easiest crocuses to grow.
• Crocus kotschyanus/zonatus (Kotschy's Crocus): This variety has long-tubed, pale lilac flowers with yellow throats. 

3. Sternbergia lutea (Winter Daffodil, Lily of the Field)

Also known as the winter daffodil, this bulb produces bright yellow, crocus-like flowers in autumn. Unlike colchicums, Sternbergia lutea sends up its green 'daffodil' leaves at the same time as its flowers. The smell of its broken flower stalks is reminiscent of the daffodil's. It grows to around 10 cm (4 inches) tall and thrives in well-drained, sunny areas.

Best for: Ideal for rock gardens, borders, and sunny slopes where it will receive a welcome summer baking. It particularly loves free-draining sandy or chalky soils.

Care: Plant bulbs in late summer, about 15 cm (6 inches) deep and 10 cm apart, in well-drained, fertile soil in full sun. 

4. Nerine bowdenii (Guernsey Lily, Diamond Lily)

This South African beauty produces clusters of star-shaped, bright pink flowers with wavy petals atop 75 cm stems from late September to November. Nerine bowdenii is one of the few hardy nerines that can withstand UK winters. The vivid pink blooms provide a wonderful shock of colour at the end of the growing season, and they make excellent cut flowers.

Best for: Plant in borders, pots, or sheltered sunny spots. It thrives in light, sandy soil, and a south-facing wall is ideal for providing the warmth it needs to bloom.

Care: Plant bulbs in late summer with the tops just covered in well-drained soil. In colder areas, consider growing them in large pots and bringing them into a greenhouse or conservatory for winter protection.

AGM varieties to try:

• Nerine bowdenii ‘Quinton Wells’: A standout with intense pink blooms.
• Nerine bowdenii ‘Stefanie’: Another striking pink variety, known for its vigour.

5. Cyclamen hederifolium

This hardy cyclamen offers delicate, nodding pink or white flowers with marbled, ivy-like leaves that appear in autumn. It grows to about 8 cm (3 inches) tall and is perfect for adding subtle charm to shady areas.

Best for: Shady borders, woodland gardens, or areas under trees and shrubs. Cyclamen hederifolium is ideal for naturalising in dappled shade.

Care: Plant tubers in late summer or early autumn, just below the soil surface, in humus-rich, well-drained soil. Partial to full shade is best for healthy growth.

6. Amaryllis belladonna (Belladonna Lily)

Known for its large, trumpet-shaped, scented pink flowers, Amaryllis belladonna blooms from late August to October on tall, leafless stems (up to 60 cm). It adds a dramatic flair to any garden with its late-season display.

Best for: Sunny, sheltered borders or against south-facing walls where it can soak up heat and stay dry in summer, crucial for flowering.

Care: Plant bulbs in summer, ensuring they are about 15 cm deep in well-drained soil. Amaryllis belladonna thrives with minimal disturbance, so leave clumps undisturbed for many years for the best results.

7. Amarine tubergenii (Belladiva Series)

A beautiful cross between Amaryllis and Nerine, Amarine tubergenii produces stunning clusters of up to ten pink, lily-like flowers on leafless stems in autumn. The flowers are smaller than those of Amaryllis but more trumpet-shaped than Nerine, creating a striking display. These plants grow to around 45-60 cm tall.

Best for: Amarine tubergenii thrives in full sunlight and sheltered spots protected from wind and rain. They’re ideal for sunny borders or containers in warmer areas of the garden.

Care: Plant in spring in moderately fertile, well-drained soil, with the bulb tips just above the surface. In colder areas, protect the bulbs with a deep, dry mulch over winter.

AGM varieties to try:

• Amarine tubergenii ‘Anastasia’: A popular choice with pink lily-like flowers.
• Amarine tubergenii ‘Emanuelle’: Another lovely variety from the Belladiva series, featuring delicate pink blooms.

By selecting these RHS AGM-awarded autumn-flowering bulbs, you’re not only adding beauty to your garden but also choosing plants that have been rigorously tested and proven to thrive in UK conditions. Plant them in the right spots, and your garden will come alive with vibrant colour long after summer blooms have faded.