<em>Allium</em>, ornamental garlic: 10 essential varieties
Reliable choices for garden or pots
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Allium or ornamental garlic is a flower bulb much prized by gardeners. It offers many advantages: floriferous, architectural, undemanding, hardy, original… Popular, Alliums are now declinated into many species and varieties, so choosing can be difficult when faced with such diversity of potential candidates. Discover our selection of must-have Alliums for your garden or patio!
Allium karataviense 'Ivory Queen'
Variety ‘Ivory Queen’ is a dwarf Allium producing large ivory spheres 15 to 20 cm in diameter. In May–June, they appear atop short 20 cm stems, amid broad curved, glaucous, grooved leaves of a lovely grey-green colour. It is ideal in rockeries, in a pot or at the front of borders where it naturalises in well-drained soil in full sun. In borders, pair it with bugle, corydalis, white narcissi or muscari.
Allium ‘Ivory Queen’ in a pot
Allium unifolium
Here is a botanical species that deserves to be better known! Indeed, Allium unifolium produces abundant, beautiful satin-lavender umbels about 5 cm in diameter in May–June. The inflorescences are borne on stems about 30 cm tall. It is easy to grow, fits in anywhere and over time forms superb colonies. It prefers rich, cool to even moist soils in a warm, sunny situation. Plant in borders, rockeries or in pots where it will bring natural charm. Let’s not forget this species was awarded the prestigious RHS Award of Garden Merit! Finally, it pairs well with euphorbias and Allium roseum, or with lavender ‘Munstead’, diascias, Geranium sanguineum and carnations, or with bear’s ears.
Allium unifolium at base of rosebush
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Allium carinatum ssp pulchellum 'Album'
Allium carinatum ssp pulcherinum ‘Album’ is a beautiful bulbous perennial with white, trailing little bells in July and August. Its umbels can measure 7 to 10 cm in diameter; they create a true fireworks display for up to two months! It grows to about 50 cm tall and can be grown in rockeries, at the front of borders or in pots. Once established, it naturalises well in light, well-drained soils, even dry, poor and calcareous, provided it benefits from a warm, sunny position. Combine with grasses, penstemons and bellflowers such as the lovely ‘Blue Pouffe’, for example.
Allium carinatum ssp pulchellum ‘Album’
Allium neapolitanum
Allium neapolitanum is also known as white garlic or Neapolitan garlic. It bears superb pure white flowers gathered into elegant umbels 8 cm in diameter, on stems about 45 cm long. It tolerates poor soils and thrives in cool, well-drained soil in full sun. It works wonders in a rock garden, alongside campanulates, sedums, moss phlox, or in a border with pink-purple tulips and Bronze fennel. It can also be grown in a pot. Perfect for wild gardens.
Allium neapolitanum
Allium amethystinum 'Red Mohican'
Here is a particularly unusual ornamental allium! Allium ‘Red Mohican’ bears surprising spherical umbels 4 cm in diameter in a beautiful burgundy red. These are enhanced by a species of little tuft of small erect purple and cream flowers, which evokes the famous Iroquois crests. Needless to say, it does not go unnoticed either in the garden or in fresh or dried bouquets! It flowers in June–July on tall sturdy stems of almost 1 m. This variety is very easy to grow, graphic and richly coloured. It prefers fresh but always well-drained soils and full sun. Pair it with grasses, toadflaxes, wild carrots, other paler alliums or, for a very vivid scene, consider Crocosmias.
Allium ‘Red Mohican’
Allium stipitatum 'Mount Everest'
This ornamental allium, still uncommon in gardens, is a sturdy and very chic variety. In May–June, the Allium ‘Mount Everest’ produces pure-white spherical flowers up to 10 cm in diameter! Its stem, 1 m tall, is thick and allows it to withstand the wind. It likes fresh but always very well-drained soil (it even tolerates summer drought well!) and full sun. Pair it with alliums of another colour, silver wormwoods, salvias, purple columbines or plant a few bulbs in front of a bush with purple foliage such as Cotinus ‘Royal Purple’ or a Japanese maple. Or better still, plant bulbs among Euphorbia palustris, Thalictrum aquilegifolium ‘Album and a few young clumps of Miscanthus sinensis ‘Variegatus’ for a superb white and anise-green mix.
Allium ‘Mount Everest’
Allium 'Violet Beauty'
Allium ‘Violet Beauty’ is prized for its almost spherical umbels, 13 cm in diameter, bearing small mauve-violet star-shaped flowers that are delicately scented. Flowering occurs in May–June. Its stems, 1 m tall, are thin yet sturdy. This makes it ideal for making bouquets. It is a sun-loving plant that thrives in fresh soil in spring and dry, well-drained soil in summer. It also tolerates drought very well. Its wild charm makes it a good candidate for natural or meadow-style beds. For this, plant alongside Festuca amethystina, Verbascum ‘Violetta’, Iris, chervil, Salvia nemorosa, etc. Finally, it is very beautiful in bouquets!
Allium ‘Violet Beauty’
Allium 'Globemaster'
It truly lives up to its name; here is the master of giant spheres in our selection! Allium ‘Globemaster’ displays spectacular spheres that can reach up to 20 cm in diameter. Mauve flower heads appear in May–June on tall, stiff, robust stems reaching 90 cm. Plant in light, very free-draining soil, even on chalky ground. It is cold-hardy but does not tolerate overly wet soil in winter. It will set off well with Salvia nemorosa and alchemillas, or planted in large drifts in a mixed border with Crambe maritima, hardy geraniums, poppies or columbines.
Allium ‘Globemaster’
Allium 'Summer Drummer'
Allium ‘Summer Drummer’ produces large mauve-purple and white flowers 15 cm in diameter. It flowers later than earlier ones, in July-August, on stems 1.20 m tall. Easy to grow, it is undemanding about soil type provided soil is well drained, preferably in full sun. It is particularly striking with euphorbias, goldenrod, or emerging from a tapetum of hardy geraniums ‘Rozanne’.
Allium ‘Summer Drummer’
Allium bulgaricum or Nectaroscordum
Allium bulgaricum or Nectaroscordum stands out for its large and elegant umbels of pendulous cream bell-flowers shaded with purple whose nectar delights bees. Its parchment-like buds open in May–June and its flowering lasts for over six weeks. Its extraordinary flowers measure almost 15 cm across, borne on stems 90 cm tall. It is a species ideal for a cottage or naturalistic garden with other alliums, tulips, camassias or columbines. Finally, its flowers are marvellous in bouquets.
Allium bulcaricum or Nectaroscordum
Further reading
Discover our care sheet to learn how to dry Allium flowers and the best varieties for this.
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