Q A few years ago, I planted a few bulbs of a tall, purple-flowered allium. At first, they did well, but now all I’m getting is leaves but no flowers. Everything has yellowed and died back now. How can I get them to bloom again? Margaret Childs, Kettering, Northants.
A There are 700 species of allium, mainly from dry, hilly regions of the northern hemisphere. The lovely durable Allium christophii, for instance, comes from Turkey and central Asia.
A number of species and many cultivars make popular garden plants, especially those with spherical heads of purple or white flowers sitting atop tall, sturdy stems. Now is a great time to order bulbs for planting in autumn and flowering next May and June. They are especially effective threaded through borders in waves.
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