Best Alliums for Your Garden: varieties, colours and planting ideas

Few bulbs give as much height, structure ands drama as the allium. Their architectural flowerhead rise above the planting and appear to float creating punctuation without making the border feel formal. This blog shares ideas of allium planting ideas and how they can be used for naturalistic planting schemes.

Allium ‘Purple Sensation’ rising through perennial planting

1 - For height and drama

Allium 'Ambassador' is an exceptional bulb reaching 1.2m in height producing large spherical flowerheads which rise well above the herbaceous planting.
Allium 'Globemaster' produces violet-purple spheres that reach around 20cm across on stems unto 80cm. It makes an excellent focal point in a moire intimate border.

A small number of these bulbs planted in drifts through a border will create drama and architectural form from May onwards. Even after the flowers have died, the flower stalks can be left maintaining the architecture across the seasons.

2 - Variations in colour

Typically, Alliums can be found from soft purple to deep violet and white. .

For deep violet: Allium 'Purple Sensation' provides a darker, richer purple and reaches around 1m in height. Use it repeatedly through a border to create rhythm or combine it with white Alliums to create a sophisticated purple-white scheme.
For a softer purple: Allium 'Violet Beauty' has a flatter, dome-shaped head in violet-purple reaching around 80cm. Its more relaxed form makes it excellent for weaving through grasses and naturalistic planting rather than as a formal focal point or punctuation.
For white: Allium nigrum (Black Garlic) provides creamy-white, semi spherical flowerhead to 40cm rather than the familiar globe. It is particularly useful for introducing light into a darker planting scheme and looks beautiful alongside purple alliums.

3 - For something sculptural

Allium schubertii is completely different. Its pinky-purple flowers form an extraordinary starburst form unto 30cm across. Their dramatic form stands out in the border. Give each bulb a little more space than some of the other Alliums so you can appreciate the form in full.

4 - For naturalistic planting across mid summer

Allium sphaerocephalon, the drumstick allium, produces smaller, oval flowerhead that develop from green to purple. Plant it generously in grasses where its small scale creates hundreds of little points of colour. Flowering in June, this bulb can add a huge amount of interest to the summer border.

Allium sphaerocephalon planted in swathes through grasses & perennials

5 - Understand your conditions

Alliums are a reliable bulb performing best in full sun in a well drained soil. They are particularly happy in light, sandy or loamy soils although they will tolerate clay soils if the drainage is good. They dislike waterlogged soil when the bulb is dormant.

Plant the bulbs 2-3 times their own depth with the pointed end upwards. The larger bulbs should be planted relatively deep. Their foliage dies back quickly so plant amongst perennials which will eventually grow up and disguise the fading leaves.

Conclusion: Alliums can’t be beaten

Alliums are a must have addition to every garden adding architectural drama, colour and focal points to every border. Use them in drifts or as focal points, combining colour and shapes to make amazing displays. Ideal for naturalistic or contemporary schemes. Their seedbeds last well into the autumn making them a star of any border.