Alliums

Allium schubertii is the sort of bulb that stops the eye mid‑stride. Each stem carries an open, starburst head of pinky‑purple, star-shaped florets, held on stalks of subtly varying length for an effortlessly sculptural effect. It is superb in sun-baked borders and equally compelling in a handsome container, where its architectural form can be admired up close.

Flowering in late spring into early summer, it brings a crisp, contemporary note to planting schemes and makes an exceptional cut flower. Left in place, the fading heads remain pleasingly structural, lending quiet drama long after the colour has softened.

• Colour: Purple (Pinks & Purples)
• Flowering: May–June
• Height: 60cm
• Spread: 30cm
• Position: Sheltered, sunny position
• Ideal for: Borders, Containers, Cut Flowers

Allium siculum subsp. dioscoridis (often sold as Nectaroscordum) is a wonderfully architectural bulb, sending up tall, upright stems topped with softly nodding, bell-shaped blooms in green-tinged cream, delicately brushed with purple. It brings a note of quiet intrigue to late spring and early summer planting, and has an easy elegance that sits beautifully amongst grasses, geraniums and other naturalistic companions.

Fully hardy and happy to naturalise where conditions suit, it’s an excellent choice for borders and informal gardens, offering height, movement and a refined, slightly curious silhouette. Pollinators are particularly fond of it, and as with many alliums it is generally left alone by deer.

• Flowering: May–June
• Height: 120cm
• Spread: 30cm
• Bulb size supplied: 12/14
• Position: Sheltered
• Soil: Moist but well-drained
• Light: Full sun or partial sun

Allium 'Silver Spring' brings a composed, architectural note to the late-spring border. Each tall stem is topped with a crisp white globe, the individual florets finished with a subtle purple‑pink eye—fresh, modern, and quietly striking among grasses, perennials and shrubs.

Equally at home threading through a cottage scheme or punctuating gravel planting, it also makes a refined cut flower, holding its form beautifully in arrangements. Plant in autumn and allow it to settle; by its second season it will be hitting its stride.

• Flower colour: white with soft pink‑purple detailing
• Best for: borders, gravel gardens, naturalising and cutting
• Style notes: elegant globes for height and structure without heaviness

Allium 'Small Flowering Mix' is a thoughtfully balanced selection of small-flowered ornamental alliums, chosen for a natural, meadow-like finish. Rising neatly through late-spring planting schemes, the airy globes bring a refined lift to borders and gravel gardens, and they are equally at home in pots where their lightness can be appreciated up close.

Ideal for weaving between perennials and ornamental grasses, this mix is also a quietly excellent choice for cutting—adding a fine, architectural note to simple arrangements.

Why you’ll love it

• Graceful, small allium globes for an informal, naturalised look
• Beautiful threaded through borders, gravel gardens, and containers
• Pollinator friendly, and typically avoided by deer and rodents
• Fully hardy and straightforward to grow

At a glance

• Flowering: May–June
• Height: 40–60cm
• Spacing: 10–15cm
• Bulb size supplied: 4/5, 5/6
• Position: Borders, gravel gardens, containers; naturalising in grass

Allium sphaerocephalon is a wonderfully refined choice for extending the season with poise. Slender stems rise above neat, narrow foliage, each topped with a dense, rounded head in rich pink to red tones—an elegant punctuation mark through early to late summer.

Superb threaded through borders or planted en masse for a light, rhythmic effect, it also suits generous pots where its upright habit brings height without heaviness. A quietly hardworking perennial, it is also valued for being pollinator friendly.

• Bulb size: 8/10cm
• Height: 50–100cm
• Spread: 10–50cm
• Flowering: June–August
• Position: Full Sun, Partial Sun
• Soil & moisture: Clay; well-drained
• Hardiness: Fully Hardy

Allium 'Summer Drummer' is the sort of perennial that lends a garden instant composure. Towering stems carry tightly packed, spherical flowerheads in pale purple with lighter highlights, rising well above neighbouring planting for a clean, architectural finish in high summer.

Plant the generous bulbs in autumn and allow them to settle in; by their second season they begin to make a handsome, long-legged statement—ideal threaded through borders, cottage-style planting, or neatly designed city courtyards. The blooms are also excellent for cutting, bringing height and poise to arrangements.

• Bulb size: 18/20
• Habit: Clump-forming perennial with tall, upright stems
• Flowering: July–August
• Best for: Borders, cottage gardens, city & courtyard gardens, cut flowers

Allium ursinum (ramsons) is a charming native allium, prized for its broad, fresh green leaves and neat, starry white flowers in spring. It is particularly well suited to lightly shaded corners and woodland-style planting, where it will naturalise beautifully and, in time, form handsome colonies.

For an elegant, relaxed effect, tuck the bulbs beneath deciduous trees or along the edge of a shady path, where the display can return with quiet reliability each year.

• Colour & form: star-shaped white flowers over mid green foliage
• Best for: woodland gardens, naturalising and ground cover
• Garden value: pollinator friendly and pleasingly low-fuss

Allium stipitatum 'White Giant' brings a poised, architectural note to late spring borders—tall, confident stems topped with dense, starry white spheres that float above fresh green foliage. It is a quietly glamorous choice for contemporary planting schemes and classic cottage-style gardens alike, and it cuts beautifully for arrangements.

Plant in autumn in a sunny, well-drained position and allow the bulbs to naturalise into handsome clumps. As the flower heads rise in May and June, they provide an elegant vertical accent among perennials and grasses, while also offering welcome interest to pollinators.

• Colour & form: star-shaped white flowers in rounded heads
• Height: 110–150cm; a refined, statuesque presence
• Where it shines: borders, pots, and as a cut flower