Garden Tip of the Month

Choosing from the plethora of wonderful Allium is a task, but as they are now in bloom, I am further convinced that there are three outstanding ones and they do not look like the legions of snow-globey others which, in fact, all look alike. So, make it easy on yourself and choose only these from the bulbous world of flowering onions (which insures that animals do not go near them):

1) Small (but with great presence) and glaucous really blue leaves, the estimable Allium karavatiense. Only in off-white and very demure. (shown right)

2) Out of this world in every way, I don't even mind the fact that it exists only in pink. About 12 to 15" and very exciting Allium shubertii.

3) Elegant and tall enough (2' or so), each silver-violet shiny petal shoots out like a star - really - and the effect is airy and light and luscious - Allium christophii (Star of Persia - shown left)

Last Allium tip: Except for the sweet little blue leaved one mentioned first, always place them surrounded by other plants, or at least ground covers, because the aftermath of the bedraggled leaves are a mess. Much worse that daffodils. One more good word - karavatiense and christophii are really perennial - well at least for 3 or 4 years.