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Thursday 5 February 2015

Alliums Spring Flowering Eye Catchers

Alliums planting and growing-life between the flowers best English garden design ideas
Alliums: mauve purple garden fireworks-life between the flowers-Best plants for an English garden
 White Allium-life between the flowers blog top plants and expert tips


Alliums are easy to plant with a trowel or bulb planter-life between the flowers helping to enrich your life through plants
Alliums make a wonderful addition to the late Spring garden, their eye catching  flower heads make for a striking impact to a perennial border and they are equally as dramatic in a deep pot or trough. Allium is the classical Latin name for garlic which is one of over 700 species of the genus which includes Leeks, chives, shallots and onions which is why cultivated alliums are sometimes commonly named ornamental onions. They come in white, yellow, and blue but by far the most popular colour grown is in a range between lilac and purple. 

They are very easy to grow and since they are readily available in the UK in collections or individually, it is simply a matter of choosing the variety or mix that you want and planting the bulb in the soil with a trowel or bulb planter. Most Alliums tend to do best in well drained loamy soil in a fairly sunny position, but because there are many varieties some will tolerate cooler more shady spots.  It is worth paying attention to the overall height of the variety you have chosen, particularly if you intend to grow them in a border. I usually scatter plant them across the whole bed in twos and threes which looks very effective.
Purple Alliums-life between the flowers gardening tips, plants and advice
Alliums small black seeds grown into new bulbs-life between the flowers practical advice from a real gardener
 Alliums flower in late Spring here in the UK and when finished dry off and produce lots of small black seeds.  These can be left to fall into the border if required and will grow in following years as new plants. They can also be harvested when you remove the dead stems and grown in trays or pots. It can take up to three years for them to mature and flower. In addition Allium bulbs produce offsets, that is to say small bulb-lets on the side of the original. I usually lift my Alliums gently after a few years to separate these and make a cluster of flowers especially in a border.
Alliums practical advice on planting and growing-life between the flowers-Best gardening advice blog
Pictures from top: crowds at the lake during the annual Badminton horse trials one of the most prestigious in the World. Spectacular clusters of alliums in a woodland setting. Allium Giganteum white. Gentlemen stewards of the course in red livery. Allium Ampeloprasum. Allium Cristophill. Badminton House in Gloucestershire, country seat of the Duke and Duchess of Beaufort.
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