August can be a challenging month in the garden, even when we aren't in the middle of a drought. So it's always good to have a few jewels like bulbs that bloom in late summer and fall to brighten our days.

One of the hardiest and easiest to grow is the rain lily, Zephyranthes candida. Small creamy white, crocuslike flowers (3 to 4 inches across) appear on stems 8 to 12 inches tall in August and September. This prolific bloomer is much easier to grow in the ground than in pots. Its green, rushlike foliage stands out in the winter landscape and provides a backdrop for the autumn flowers. Tuck it in at the edge of the border, along pathways, in the rock garden or in beds of ground cover like Sedum tetractinum. The 'Labuffarosea' rain lily opens rose pink and matures to white. It begins blooming in late summer and continues into fall.

Erica Glasener/Special (ENLARGE)

The shiny green foliage is a lovely foil for the creamy blooms of rain lily.

Erica Glasener/Special (ENLARGE)

The 'Labuffarosea' rain lily opens rose pink and matures to white.

PHIL SKINNER/Staff (ENLARGE)

Spider lily, a member of the amaryllis family, is eye-catching and unmistakable. Just as the summer garden is seeming pooped out beyond recall, Lycoris radiata flaunts its plentiful bright red blooms. Lycoris thrives in sunny spots with good drainage. Plant it in combination with Southern shield fern or in a bed with ground covers.

There are also selections with yellow flowers. And now is the perfect time to plant these rain lilies.

Earlier, in mid- to late summer, a group of naked ladies, Lycoris squamigera, is bound to attract attention when soft pink trumpets appear magically on sturdy, leafless stems. The foliage, which appears in spring, ripens and disappears before there is any sign of flowers. Plant naked ladies in an open woodland garden with other perennials such as blue-leaved hostas to help mask the ripening foliage.

Perhaps more familiar is the spider lily, Lycoris radiata. Plant it in combination with ferns like Southern shield (Thelypteris kunthii), or in a bed with ground covers. Like daffodils, rain lilies and naked ladies are resistant to pests like voles, gophers and deer. June is the best time to plant Lycoris, but you can still plant them now for blooms next year.

I remember the first time I saw a Colchicum in bloom. It lay unplanted on a windowsill, and I was intrigued by its magical lilac fall flowers. I can't think of any other plants that bloom even before they are planted. In the garden it makes a beautiful display in a bed of pachysandra or ajuga or in combination with ferns. Colchicums are often mistakenly called autumn crocus because of their flowers. Among the earliest to bloom is Colchicum 'Violet Queen', with cup-shaped purple flowers. One of the most free-flowering is C. 'Lilac Wonder', with amethyst flowers marked by white lines in the center. Another bonus is that they are poisonous, which means, as with daffodils, critters are not tempted to eat them. When placing these autumn beauties in the landscape, keep in mind that coarse foliage appears in the spring and dies back in summer, well before the flowers appear on short, leafless stems.

Other fall-blooming bulbs include a selection of crocus that is as easy to grow as its spring cousins and equally rewarding. Beautiful as an ornamental, Crocus sativus is also edible. From September to October, the lilac-purple flowers produce red stigmas, the source for the spice saffron, used to make yellow rice and other culinary delights.

Also blooming in early fall is the floriferous and easy-to-naturalize Crocus speciosus, with large, goblet-shaped violet-blue to mauve flowers (3 to 5 inches across and up to 12 inches tall). Plant both these as soon as you receive them in fall along pathways in the rock garden or in combination with ground covers.

Although I've never grown it, I would like to try Sternbergia lutea, known as the winter or fall daffodil, which produces yellow, trumpetlike flowers and grassy foliage in fall. If you can get it to grow, this heirloom is a good candidate for naturalizing.

ERICA'S PICK

Rain lily

Botanical name: Zephyranthes candida

About the plant: Creamy white crocuslike flowers, 3 to 4 inches across, appear in late summer through fall, especially after a rain. The shiny green, rushlike foliage helps show off the blooms.

Use in the garden: Plant it at the edge of the border, in the rock garden or with ground covers.

Planting and care: Plant in full sun or part shade. Tolerates most soil types. No serious pest or disease problems.

Source: Hastings Nature & Garden Center, 3920 Peachtree Road N.E., Atlanta; 404-869-7447.

Erica Glasener is an Atlanta horticulturist and host of HGTV's "A Gardener's Diary," which airs at 7 a.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays. Her column appears biweekly. Write to her in care of AJC Home & Garden, P.O. Box 4689, Atlanta, GA 30302, or visit her at ericaglasener.com.