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	Allium (flowering onion) varies in height from 9 inches to 5 feet. Many varieties are grown. Summer flowering varieties bloom in June and July. Flowers are white, red, yellow, blue, or pink. Use allium in borders. Some commonly grown kinds of summer flowering allium and their characteristics are as follows: AzureumQDeep blue flowers; grows 2 feet tall; blooms in July. GiganteumQBlue flowers, 9 inches in diameter; grows 5 feet tall; blooms in July. UnifoliumQPink flowers; grows 15 inches tall; blooms in July. Plant bulbs 2 or 3 inches deep in early spring. Space them 6 to 15 inches apart in clumps of 6 to 12 bulbs. The distance between bulbs depends on the height of the plant at flowering time. Leave the bulbs in place for many years. Dig, separate, and replant them when they become crowded or produce small flowers. Caladium grown for its showy, colorful leaves.  The flower buds should be removed as soon as they appear so the leaves can develop fully. Many varieties of caladium are grown.  Dwarf varieties grow up to 9 inches.  Ordinary tall varieties grow up to 18 inches, and elephantUs  ear grows up to 6 feet. Use caladium in front of shrubs, as foundation plantings around the home, land as pot plants. Plant the tubers close together in a flat from January to mid-May. Use a mixture of peat moss and coarse sand. Cover the planted tubers with a 1-inch layer of peat moss. Water the tubers often enough to keep the soil mixture damp. Roots grow from the tops of the tubers; they must be kept moist and covered with peat moss. Keep the room temperature no lower than 70 degrees F. Tubers often rot in cool soil. As soon as roots develop, replant the tubers of elephant's ear outdoors or in tubs or boxes; replant the tubers of other varieties outdoors or in 6-inch pots. Use a mixture of equal parts of garden soil and peat moss. Grow the plants in a lightly shaded area, never in direct sunlight. The leaves burn easily. Try to balance the light and shade to get the most color in the leaves. When plants are grown in deep shade, the leaves will have more green coloring and less pink or red. Water and fertilize caladium at least every other week. Do not allow the soil to become dry. Fertilize with a mixture of 1 teaspoon of 20-20-20 soluble fertilizer per gallon of water. When the leaves turn yellow in the fall, dig the tubers from the garden and store them with the soil around them. Store potted tubers in the pots. Keep the storage area dry and at no less than 60! F. Start the growing cycle again the next year. Canna Many types of canna are grown. Tall types grow 5 to 7 feet high and dwarf types, 18 to 30 inches. Canna blooms for many weeks in summer. Flowers are red, pink, orange, yellow, and cream. Use canna in flowerbeds. Plant rhizomes (underground stems) from March to May in flats filled with peat moss. Cover the rhizomes with 1 inch of peat moss and water them often enough to keep the peat moss damp. When shoots appear, replant the rhizomes in 4-inch pots. Use a mixture of equal parts of garden soil, peat moss, and sand. Leave the pot plants indoors until all danger of frost has passed. Then plant them outside in full sunshine. Dig the planting site thoroughly and mix well-rotted cow manure into the soil. Plant the rhizomes just below the soil surface. Space them 12 to 18 inches apart. Water and fertilize the plants at 2 week intervals throughout the growing season. Apply a light ring of 5-10-5 or 10-6-4 fertilizer around each plant. Stake the tall varieties; they fall over easily. After the first light frost, cut off the stems of the plants. Then dig the rhizome clumps and let them dry. Store them with the soil around them away from frost. If your storage conditions are dry, embed the rhizomes in flats of dried peat moss for the winter. The next spring, clean the rhizomes and start the growing cycle again. Gladiolus grows 2 to 4 feet high. It blooms in summer and fall and produces flowers of all colors. The kinds of gladiolus that are commonly grown are grandiflora, primulinus, primulinus hybrids, and colvilleii. Use gladiolus for cut flowers or in flowerbeds. Plant gladiolus bulbs in rows 36 inches wide or in flowerbeds. Prepare the beds the year before you plant, applying 1 pound of 10-6-4 fertilizer for each 100 square feet of planting space. Thoroughly mix the fertilizer with the soil. Start planting as soon as the soil is dry enough to work in the spring. Plant the bulbs 4 to 7 inches deep and 6 to 8 inches apart. Continue planting every 7 to 10 days until early July; this assures a continuous supply of flowers. When shoots are 6 to 10 inches tall, fertilize the plants with 1 pound of 10-6-4 fertilizer per 100 square feet of space. Water the soil around the plants every 10 days in dry weather. In the North, dig the bulbs every year about 6 weeks after the plants have bloomed. Wash the soil off the bulbs and spread them in a shaded area to dry for several weeks. In the South, gladiolus are left in the ground for several years before they are dug. When the bulbs are dry, separate them by size and keep only those that are more than 1 inch in diameter. Store them in a well ventilated area at 35 to 45 degrees F. Lilium Hybrid Lilium hybrids are among the most beautiful plants grown from bulbs. They have many forms, heights, flowering times, and colors. The most common types of lilium hybrids and some of their characteristics are as follows: Lilium candidum (white madonna lily)QBlooms in June; grows 3 to 4 feet tall; fragrant flowers; plant in September. Lilium excelsum (testaceum)Q Blooms in June; grows 5 to 6 feet tall; apricot flowers; plant in light shade. Lilium regaleQBlooms in July; grows 3 to 5 feet tall; white or yellow flowers. Lilium speciosum and auratumQ Blooms in August and September; grows 4 to 6 feet tall; many hybrids between these two types. Upright lilyQBlooms in June; grows 21/2 feet tall; many hybrids in this group. Except as shown in the descriptions of the types, plant the bulbs in October and November in a sunny, well-drained area. Plant them at a depth that is three times the height of the bulb. Space the bulbs 6 to 18 inches apart according to the height of the plants. Water and fertilize the plants at frequent intervals during the growing season. Use a light ring of 5-10-5 or 10-6-4 fertilizer around each plant. Do not use high rates of high nitrogen fertilizers. Remove the seed pods when they appear on the plants in the fall; seeds use up plant food needed for growth the next year. When the leaves turn yellow, cut and destroy the stems and foliage. Leave the bulbs in place for 2 to 4 years. Dig the bulbs in late summer or fall and replant them as soon as possible; they will not grow successfully if allowed to dry out excessively in storage.