- s
Sign up for our newsletter and get the latest
in food, beauty, travel, fashion, plants,
health, and other botanical curiosities.
Sign up for our newsletter to enter for a chance to win a Farmacy gift set.
Now until December 10th. Learn more about Farmacy.
Allium, a spherical relative of the onion whose flowery bulbs were regarded by Ancient Egyptians as a symbol of the universe, is one of GC’s favorite flowers. Scroll this gallery to find out why you should consider adding allium bulbs to your Fall planting scheme.
Alliums vary in texture, size, and color from one variety to the next. Perhaps second only to tulips in terms of variety, allium bulbs are among the most celebrated bulbs of the moment, with the most popular colors being purple, pink, green, white, and yellow.
A classic staple of public parks and gardens, this allium was spotted in Manhattan’s Madison Square Park. A rule of thumb for knowing when to plant allium bulbs is: “allium goes in when the leaves are falling”.
Alliums tend to work well in any garden as they represent unity. The plant is sometimes given to married couples or long-time acquaintances as a gesture of enduring connection over time.
Average planting depth for allium bulbs should be 3-5 times the diameter of the bulb.
Spotted at the Hauser & Wirth garden in Somerset, England, this particular allium serves as a nice reminder of the plant’s quirks: some allium reach 4 feet in height and others like this ground-dweller can be as small as 8 inches, which is perfect for tinier gardens.
Alliums function well outdoors even after the bulbs have fallen (they also tend to be a very long-lasting plant,) but they also work well as dried flowers indoors.
Alliums are among the only plant in the world that is capable of growing atop Mountain Everest (the world’s tallest mountain).
The corner of a massive purple allium display that this year’s Chelsea Flower Show in London.