Alliums, or flowering onions, are easily grown almost anywhere, but they prefer sunshine, and good drainage. These perennials, with me, are untroubled by disease or insects, and bloom freely, the various kinds giving bloom from springtime until late fall, in colors from white, pink, lavender. and purple, to almost maroon. In my garden grows the well-known "Moly," which in June, flowers like little bell-shaped lilies, all shining with the glow of an object that has been freshly lacquered. The leaves, too, are not like other alliums, being more like the foliage of a tulip. The flowers and whole clump make a good display, and gradually the foliage yellows and disappears after flowering.
"Montana" is a very free-flowering type, the lavender, "Azureum," is a favorite, with globes of sky blue in summer, hardy in many places, but I lose it every year or so, and purchase more for its beauty of color in the row of alliums. One that everybody comments on is "Pullchellum." The clusters of flowers are showy, in bomb shape, the outer part in laven der, but the colorful center is a raspberry-rose which retains the shade for about two weeks, when it gradually assumes the lavender tint of the edging.
The white allium, "Ramosum," grows tall, and the clusters of snowy flowers are quite sweet, with no onion odor, though the foliage is "oniony" if disturbed. This is a hardy white sort, and blooms in July and August, in Vermont. The rock-garden sort that is both pretty and hardy here is "Mt. Cenis." It is about eight inches in height, with flat heads of a lively lavender, with a hint of pink in its coloring. I like it, as it remains in flower a long time. It is a long-lived species, too. It is one of my favorites when taking a stroll when the
yard lights come on as the sun downs down for the evening.
Tanguticum, called the "Lavender Globe Lily," blooms in late summer with round, full heads of starry flowers. These last in water a long time. The plant is a fine selection for use in a perennial border, but it is also a good choice for a large rock garden, and has been used as an edger with good effect.
For a pink, spring-flowering allium, try "Cyrilli," or "Reticulatum," which blooms before the leaves appear. "Rosenbachianum" will give you purple flowers for the border, and "Sphaerocephalum" furnishes globes of mulberry-maroon in summer tithe.
For a late bloomer, "Stallatum" brings us showy, rose-colored clusters of flowers in September, often lasting into October.
One of my favorites is a diadem-crowned, eight-inch high album in lavender-pink. The flower-crowns look as if composed of little bells, tipped downward, with contrasting white anthers. I think it is rather unusual, and I like these hardy and adaptable alliums.
