Collection: Alliums

To attract butterflies into your plot, Lulu  & Adam recommend planting one of their favourite allium varieties, the drumstick allium or Allium sphaerocephalon that are well suited to gravel or prairie style planting schemes, planted through leafy perennials or grasses such as stipa tenuissima. Heavenly for bees and also make excellent cut flowers.

These combinations can be seen at one of our favourite local gardens in Somerset, The Oudolf Field, designed by Piet Oudolf for Hauser & Wirth, where dense clumps of Allium nigrum and Allium ‘Mount Everest’ are planted amidst frothy perennials such as echinacea and sanguisorbia.

Fabulous in naturalistic planting schemes. the tiny bulbs of Allium caeruleum produce magnificent soft bluish flowers that drift in a cloud of grasses. Our tip is to leave them to fade naturally as allium seed heads provide architectural structure when autumn gives way to winter and these wild onion skeletons shimmer in the first frosts.

Also referred to as the ornamental onion,  allium varieties are native throughout Europe and Central Asia. The Ancient Egyptians considered ornamental alliums a symbol of the universe and used them in their drawings and inscriptions on tombs. Today, they are one of the the most magnetic species you can plant to attract pollinators into your garden. Planting allium bulbs with healthy pollen and nectar in mind, we have an individually sourced selection of our favourites that will suit a breadth of locations.

Alliums bloom in the early summer from late May into June and can be deeply satisfying for height and performance, fantastic en masse when tones of mauve, violet and purple flowers create a haze of magically coloured wands in the warming sun light. 

Fantastic in borders or beside pathways, to acheive this atmospheric effect try layering a few cultivars like the tall classic Allium hollandicum ‘Purple Sensation’ characterised by it's dense, spherical blooms, with ‘Violet Beauty’ or Allium christophii known for their looser allium flowers.

For maximum summer drama try Allium schubertii that resembles an exploding star!

Alliums range from over a metre in height to the lower, ground covering varieties that are also firm favourites for the spell they cast on insects. Try the white flowering Allium neopolitanum, Allium cowanii or the joyous bright yellow blooms of Allium Moly Jeanine.

All Allium varieties will naturalise over time making them an excellent choice of bulb for many garden positions including pot displays on the terrace.

Guide to Planting Allium Bulbs:

Plant in the autumn using supports to steady tall varietiesMost will flourish in well-drained soil in full sun with some varieties thriving well in partial shade.

They will enjoy an aerated soil so be sure to mix heavier or clay soils with horticultural grit and organic compost for best drainage. Alliums respond well to organic seaweed feed on planting.

If you are planning on lifting your bulbs after flowering be sure to leave the foliage to die back, allowing all the nutrients to return to the bulb for subsequent seasons.