CSANews 116

Gardening by Judith Adam Fall-planted alliums Ornamental alliums are members of the onion family; however, they won’t appear on a salad or hamburger – they’re not edible. But they are beautiful, and the many varieties offer diversity in stature, form, colour and season of bloom from early spring to early summer. They all grow from fall-planted bulbs, in sunny locations with well-drained soil alongside tulips and narcissus. Alliums are deer- and rodent-resistant, drought hardy, relished by pollinators and make great cut flowers. Most familiar are the densely packed lavender balls, gently swaying on strong 24- to 36-inch stems. There are many cultivars of this form and in catalogues and garden centres this autumn are ‘Ambassador’, an impressive giant with seven-inch globes of purple florets on stems reaching 40 inches (100 cm), blooming for up to six weeks; and ‘Summer Drummer’, with purple and white 8-inch globes on stems that grow to 72 inches (180 cm). With so many to choose from, a strategic selection of diverse form and colour includes the Drumstick allium (A. sphaerocephalon, 24 in, 60 cm), with eggshaped chartreuse flowers turning to burgundy red; and the Star of Persia allium (A. christophii, 24 in, 60 cm), with large globes of star-shaped, pink-purple flowers with a metallic sheen. Most intriguing is the Sicilian Honey allium (A. bulgaricum, 36 in, 90 cm), with large bell-shaped, green-and-pink dangling umbels in loose clusters that will return for many years. In an uncertain season, your garden agenda could use a creative boost – although you might never have considered the value of ornamental onions. And, if travel plans are delayed, cool autumn days are perfect for stone maintenance, with no heavy lifting! 58 | www.snowbirds.org

RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MzMzNzMx