Valued for their firework displays that supersede the cacophony of tulips, alliums have rightly become a stalwart of the garden and a familiar addition to our borders in late spring. Not only are their flowers rich in nectar and attractive to bees and other pollinators, but the spherical inflorescences add colour and architectural form to borders when in flower, and their intricate dried seedheads persist through to autumn. Now, thanks to continued breeding and recent introductions, there are new cultivars of these attention grabbing blooms that arrive a little later to the party, and we can enjoy alliums in our gardens all summer long.
Most alliums prefer a spot in full sun in reasonable, free-draining soil but some, including Allium angulosum and A. nutans, will take richer conditions and a little shade, while A. ursinum (wild garlic) thrives in deep woodland. All alliums generally fit into one of two groups: those that are bulbous and have a resting dormant period after flowering; and those that are clump forming, growing through spring and summer with persistent foliage. Traditionally, the most popular garden cultivars have been of bulbous species such as A. cristophii, A. giganteum and A. schubertii, that flower in late spring and early summer, with a few later contenders including A. atropurpureum and A. sphaerocephalon. In recent years there’s been a shift in interest and availability for the later, often clump-forming cultivars that tend to behave more like herbaceous perennials than seasonal bulbs.
Bu hikaye Gardens Illustrated dergisinin June 2024 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Giriş Yap
Bu hikaye Gardens Illustrated dergisinin June 2024 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Giriş Yap
STEPS TO SUCCESS
Enclosed within a rustic barn conversion, this courtyard garden contrasts riotous Mediterranean-inspired gravel planting with clean lines and a reflective pool
ANNIE GUILFOYLE
The garden polymath on the pleasures of passing on knowledge, the rewards of close observation and the circuitous route towards grounding her itchy feet
HEAVEN SCENT
As summer adds a new dimension to his garden, Nigel Slater reflects on the rewards of planting for perfume
Colour therapy
Ann-Maree Winter's joyful Australian garden became a place of solace and nurture in hard times
30 plants with interest all year
These hard-working plants provide several seasons of interest in your garden through flowers, fruit, foliage, bark and even spring shoots
PERFECT HARMONY
Rosarian Michael Marriott and TV producer Rosie Irving have very different ideas on gardening, but they have discovered the secret to sharing a single plot amicably
SUMMERFLOWERING ALLIUMS
Loved for their showy spheres, alliums have long been stalwarts of late spring, but now new introductions are extending the party through summer
Faith in the future
Marian Boswall's contemporary design for the garden of a former chapel respects the property's history while looking to the future
Summertime at Sissinghurst
Ensuring Sissinghurst’s famous roses look fabulous throughout the season is one of the many tasks keeping head gardener Troy Scott Smith and his team busy right now
FRESH APPROACH
Colm Joseph’s design for this new garden, which surrounds a modern house within a heritage setting, uses clever planting to give a historic site a contemporary feel