I’ve declared my obsession with dahlias in the past, but there’s another I haven’t mentioned, one I would encourage anyone to add to their garden if they can. The simple allium, commonly known as the ornamental onion, although in my book, they are anything but ordinary. They surprise, delight, and hang around long after the party is over. And quite often, that’s when their graceful beauty is most appreciated. I study them, watch them, ask questions, and continue my search for alliums that will carry me well into late summer.
Globemaster, Ambassador, giganteum, Gladiator, schubertii, Ping Pong, christophii, siculum subsp. bulgaricum, sphaerocephalon, amethystinum ‘Red Mohican’…well, you get the picture. The list goes on!
And I nearly forgot my latest arrival, Forelock, a dusky chocolate-purple beauty that blooms a little later than the rest.
Gardeners have a wonderful way of sharing names and favorites, and I seem to have reached that stage where discovering a new variety feels a bit like winning the lottery. Thank you, Michael, for introducing me to this latest one!
And so, this is how I’ll be spending the few golden days we have left in October, working my way through the dahlia beds and planting allium bulbs.
The big decision is whether to scatter or group them. I’m usually a scatterer, lightly tossing bulbs about, imagining the way a bee flits from flower to flower. But this year, I think I’ll try grouping a few together and see what happens.
There’s always next year, when I’m quite sure there will be more.
Do you grow alliums? Have a favorite? I’d love to know!
