Was it Eisenhower who said that "plans are useless but planning is indispensable"? And what does it have to do with alliums?
You can plant allium bulbs next fall wherever you might have a bare spot, or you can plan ahead to place them where they really count. It's only taken me years to figure this out, but you can start now. It's not foolproof but take note, northern gardeners, what's blooming right now.
And then think if it could use a little punctuation to perk it up. That's one way I think about alliums, they're like upside down exclamation points. Some people think of them as lollipops and in England I've heard them called "posh onions".
My favorite color combination is Purple Sensation with my orange Mandarin Lights rhododendron, so bright it almost seems subversive. The same alliums growing with blue salvia, veronica and iris blend into the monochrome spring mini-meadow in the courtyard. I'm anxious to try them with chartreuse foliage like I saw at P. Allen Smith's Arkansas farm earlier this spring.
Purple alliums play off the golden foliage of Caryopteris "Sunshine Blue" at the Garden Home Retreat The Garden Buzz
I also like how alliums draw the eye upward while the rest of the garden is filling in and still a bit thin. I keep adding alliums every year, from little drumstick varieties to the ginormous Globemaster. And while I love alliums, the deer and rabbits aren't fond of the oniony flavor.
For the greatest selection of allium bulbs at bulk prices along with good descriptions and solid growing information I like Scheeper's catalog as well as McClure and Zimmerman. Make a note to order now or at least by August while the more unusual varieties are still available.
Allium "Purple Sensation" with Rhododendron "Mandarin Lights" The Garden Buzz
I loved how these unidentified lavender alliums glowed with yellow strawflowers at the Herb Farm restaurant in Washington state last summer The Garden Buzz
White alliums liven up the blue catmint along my driveway The Garden Buzz
