all about alliums
Alliums are incredibly perennial and flower for ages. These ones in my garden have been coming back for the last 20 years. I love them for adding late spring and early summer pizzazz, as well as bringing strong colour and shape to the border. Plus, they are excellent for cutting as both flowers and seedheads, and brilliant for the bees
Allium Collection
There are no better value alliums than these two. ‘Purple Sensation’ is a deep, rich purple, Allium aflatunense (hollandicum) is a more smoky mauve. Mix them up together in the garden, or harvest them for inside
Allium cristophii
Also known as Star of Persia this is the classic, huge-headed sparkler allium, with seed heads almost as good as the flowers. It's hard to beat on value – quite cheap to buy and very perennial, lasting in the garden for decades
Allium 'Toabago'
A brand new variety much like my top favourite 'Allium schubertii', but in a deeper, richer purple (made by crossing schubertii with atropurpureum)
Allium x 'Globemaster'
This spectacular giant mauve globe allium follows on from Allium hollandicum 'Purple Sensation' in its flowering season, genuinely getting bigger and better every year
Allium sphaerocephalon
This small-headed, rich, blackcurrant allium is later to flower than most and is invaluable for that. I love it in bud, as much as in full flower, very pretty and will gently self-sow
Arthur’s Allium Collection
Gardener and good friend, Arthur Parkinson, chose this collection which bridges everything alliums can do – from intensity to architectural glamour. And all three have the RHS AGM, so they’re easy and reliable to grow. Interplant them with the soft pink foxglove ‘Sutton’s Apricot’, Linaria purpurea ‘Canon Went’ and create a fluffy bronze carpet of fennel
New Allium Collection
These three are the alliums I pick most. I love the starry openness of 'Purple Rain', the beautiful and long-lasting pink-mauve flowers of unifolium and of course the ever stalwart, 'Purple Sensation', impossible to beat in flower or seed head. These are my desert-island three
Best for Bees Allium Collection
Take the time to get a chair and sit by your alliums to see the pollinators coming and going. That’s just what I did before nailing my selection of this super-pollinator family (butterflies and bees feast on every one of these pollen and nectar rich plants), reign supreme amongst bees
more advice & inspiration
our allium growing guide
why Sarah loves the allium collection
Sarah's favourite alliums
