Globe trotting

Few ornamentals strike a pose like alliums. Toby rounds up his favourites to help you achieve global domination

- TOBY BUCKLAND

I WAS listening to a lot of Britpop when the metallic purple spheres of the ornamental alliums burst onto the 1990s gardening scene. And in the same way that Pulp and Oasis are still on my playlist, alliums remain on repeat in my borders to this day.

What makes alliums so special is that their look is uniquely architectural, so like living sculptures they stand out from their neighbours and add a whole new layer of interest at the front of (or above) the borders.

Not only that, they’re loved by the bees, and if you grow them in the right way and place (see panel below) many will come back year after year. They also come in a myriad of different varieties. If you choose carefully, you can have alliums adding interest in your garden right through the summer.