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Writer's pictureGardener Gary

Planning for Amazing Alliums

Updated: Apr 24, 2023

For anyone that knows me they will understand "working seasons ahead" and Alliums are stunning plants that most of my clients will say "I love those" but they generally ask at the wrong time in the year, so some things to consider. These ornamental onions are bold and architectural, with large rounded heads of usually purple flowers, followed by attractive seedheads. Weave them through sunny borders or combine them with feathery grasses for best effect.

  • Variety of Heights

  • Array of choice

  • Adding impact

Heights to consider

The sheer beauty of Alliums is once planted then its a "sit back and wait for results" plan, it's really important to get the height range right so that your border looks planned and also impactful, I tend to group my Allium displays so that you get maximum impact on colour, but I would really suggest this is a bulb that you need to check your heights properly before planting and then the timings of flowering, here's hoping the picture above helps you out in in your planning


Plan to plant your Alliums where they create maximum impact, the leaves on Alliums leaves tend to die back as the flower heads appear so you really don't want to be seeing them, you can remove the leaves if you wish it will not damage the flower heads, think bold and keep your Alliums in groups by types I would never plant less than three of the same close together for a wow when they are out





Consider the surrounding planting as this will add to the overall look of your display as the beautiful heads raise themselves in the border height, not forgetting the range on Allium height will go right from the edge of your border to the back






Four different Alliums all on the same height sitting above a bed of Persecaris, note to you all

Nearly all alliums like a spot in full sun and free-draining soil. some can tolerate a little more shade as can some of the smaller alliums, such as Allium moly. The bulbs should be planted in early or late autumn, so September to November latest, as I write this blog the inbox pings with more Allium bulb sales so don't miss out they need buying soon to get the best choice, generally I buy mine by individual type as the "collections" generally include lots and lots of the small front border types




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