Alliums are a really good group of bulbs to plant in the garden. I have a few, though I'd like more. I thought I'd share some today. The above allium is a really cool one. My friends Phil and Judie gave me these bulbs last fall. This allium is Allium siculum bulgaricum, aka Bulgaricum alliums. A very beautiful and lovely allium. It is quite tall (nearly 36 inches), and the umbels hang down quite a bit. It can easily share the spotlight with early flowering bulbs. I have mine planted near 'May Night' salvia and it looks lovely. All alliums need EXCELLENT drainage. I can't stress this enough. The more sun the better too. Here we have 'Globemaster' alliums. These have been a mainstay in my garden for more than five years now. They make a real show in the spring. Not only do they look great in bloom, but the spent heads persist in the garden and dry right on the stems. Come June, I'll simply twist or cut them out and place in a vase inside the house. Here they share the spotlight with irises and 'Vanhoutte' spirea; which had gone by when I took this picture. Here I am trying to show you just how big the heads can get. The first picture is an early picture, I took this one a few weeks later. I order mine from Netherland Bulb Company. They are reasonably priced, and they send only top notch bulbs that are sure to please all gardeners. I've been MOST impressed by this cultivar and Netherland's good service. At one time I did try 'Gladiator' but it puttered out without ever blooming. Globemasters are tough and do great even in my not so full sun garden. This allium is a fairly new allium to Tiger Gardens. It is Alliumkarataviense 'Ivory Queen'. When this little allium began growing a few months ago, I thought it was a tulip. So thick and healthy is the foliage that I fell in love with it. I actually did not know what it was until this little bud began forming. Here it is in full bloom. I have it paired with another allium. I am not sure of this cultivar but do know it is an allium. These two alliums are in a cement container out front. They grow only about 6" tall and look wonderful together.
I have some drumstick alliums coming on strong too. I'll post on them later, but for now wanted to share these few early alliums....