Following on from my last post Alliums in their various forms can cover spring summer and fall with continuous flowers. In the vegetable garden alliums are represented by onions and chives are the herbal variety. The alliums planted in the flower garden are described in this article by Jennifer which I found on Three Dogs In A Garden website.
Right now there isn’t a whole lot blooming in my small herb garden, but the garlic chives are making up for any lack of blooms and are flowering handsomely.
Bees seem to love the little white stars. There always seems to be at least one on the flowers in the company of a few little black ants. The long tapered leaves of garlic chives are broader than regular chives and the blooms are much larger. Their taste is oniony with a hint of garlic.
This year I switched from common chives to ‘Profusion’ chives (which I got from Richters,?a Canadian nursery and mail order company that specializes in herbs). The mauve flowers are sterile and do not set seed. In the past, I’ve had to cut my chives back hard after they flower to to rejuvenate the foliage and to prevent them from seeding everywhere. Profusion Chives seem to stay small and compact throughout the growing season. Simply remove the faded flowers and you’re good to go.
The Toronto Botanical Gardens.?
They weren’t marked, but I think these are?Allium?’Giganteum’.
As well as these edible members of the onion family, there are ornamental alliums as well. This June I was lucky enough to visit the Toronto Botanical Gardens when the?alliums were in flower.
I am a keen gardener and so created Garden Pics and Tips for people who love gardens and enjoy great pictures of plants and gardens. Also covered are practical tips on all aspects of gardening.
