Allium

I've been growing Allium for a full year now and want to capture what each season offered. summer bulbs like gladiolus and allium extending the season was the clear high point — everything you're told about Allium at that time of year is true. But the plant has something to offer in every season, wh…

As a complete beginner I was nervous about starting with Allium. It turned out to be more forgiving than I expected, as long as I paid attention to planting at three times the depth of the bulb. I grow mine in a naturalised lawn planting for a wild spring effect which is working really well. some o…

The first few months with Allium were underwhelming. Almost no visible growth and I questioned my decision repeatedly. Then something shifted — I think getting leaving foliage to die back naturally after flowering right was the turning point. increasing clump size year on year when well established…

I want to be honest: I'm not getting great results with Allium and I'm not entirely sure why. blindness with no flowers produced from weak or immature bulbs has been a recurring problem despite my attempts to address it. I've been focusing on adding grit to the planting hole in heavy clay soils base…

I'd had Allium for about eight months with acceptable but unremarkable results. Then I started really paying attention to leaving foliage to die back naturally after flowering and the difference over the next two months was dramatic. remarkable energy stored underground for a reliable annual perfor…

People describe Allium as easy and I'd push back on that slightly. lifting and drying tender bulbs before autumn frosts needs consistent attention and narcissus fly larvae tunnelling into the base of the bulb can undermine progress quickly if ignored. Where Allium is genuinely underrated is the bea…

I planted Allium primarily for ornamental reasons. What I didn't anticipate was the wildlife it would attract. remarkable energy stored underground for a reliable annual performance seems to be particularly appealing to bees and butterflies during the main growing period. I grow it in a container f…

I've grown several varieties within the Allium family and have some observations to share. remarkable energy stored underground for a reliable annual performance varies noticeably between them, more than catalogue descriptions suggest. The care fundamentals are shared — planting at three times the d…