Tip #7: Giant Allium
Giant alliums introduce a striking, futuristic architectural element to the late spring garden with their enormous, perfect spheres of tiny star-shaped flowers. Outstanding varieties like ‘Globemaster’ and ‘Gladiator’ thrust magnificent, eight-to-ten-inch bright purple globes high above the fading spring foliage on thick, sturdy leafless stalks. These dramatic plants with large flowers create highly captivating visual focal points when massed tightly together or carefully interspersed among lower-growing perennial foliage. You must plant the sizable, pungent bulbs during the cool autumn months in a sunny spot featuring exceptionally well-draining soil to prevent destructive winter root rot. Because they belong to the common onion family, these brilliant ornamental flowers naturally repel foraging deer and hungry rabbits, saving you the immense frustration of losing your prize blooms overnight. Leaving the dried, structural flower heads standing on their stalks well into the late summer provides enduring textural interest and dramatically extends their practical landscaping value.
