The global garden

The globular flowerheads of alliums add shape and colour to borders during late spring and early summer, says Hazel Sillver, as she looks at the best types to plant now

- Hazel Sillver

ORNAMENTAL onions (alliums) get the summer show off to a bold start when their flower globes open in May. Like giant lollipops, the spherical structure of these bulbous perennials adds solidity and drama to borders during what is often a flowering lull between spring and summer. Drought-tolerant and full of nectar for wildlife, they are also perfect plants for the modern garden.

"Alliums are incredible perennials and flower for ages," says bulb supplier Sarah Raven. "I love them for adding late spring and early summer pizzazz, as well as bringing strong colour and shape to the border. Plus, they are excellent for cutting as both flowers and seedheads, and brilliant for the bees."

Classic border alliums

The classic border alliums (such as 'Ambassador', 'Gladiator', and 'White Giant') form balls of purple or ivory flowers atop long stems. They look fantastic growing through a mass of soft flowers. For instance, at Great Dixter in East Sussex, the big amethyst globes of 'Purple Sensation' hover above the biennial bellflower Campanula patula, and at Mottisfont in Hampshire, Allium cristophii grows through an airy sea of lavender cranesbill. Many alliums also combine well with glaucous or silver-leaved plants, such as sea kale and artemisia.

The taller forms - which don't block the view of the plants behind - can be grown in the middle of the border as vertical accents. Shorter alliums (such as 'Eros' and the chive A. schoenoprasum 'Forescate') are effective growing through gravel at the border edge.

Drumstick alliums