Onions in the perennial flower garden? You might be surprised how alliums can add dynamic color and unique form and shape to your garden. Many gardeners separate vegetables from their ornamental gardens, because most vegetables don't produce attractive flowers. Alliums, the botanical name for the onion family, are the colorful exception-and one worth considering (even though these are inedible).
Drumstick allium makes a bold statement in July when massed together-they look like purple eggs perched atop leafless stalks 2 to 3 feet above the ground.
For a border planting or a rock garden, tuck in a 'Star of Persia' allium. The florets on this 10-inch-diameter globe look like amethyst stars. They begin blooming in late May and are still attractive a month later, after the blooms have faded. The 'Leek Lily' allium produces small yellow flowers on 12-inch-tall stems in May and spread rapidly-a good choice for naturalizing.
The Turkestan onion grows only 8 inches tall.
Alliums are easy to care for. Hardy from Zones 4 to 8, they are planted in the fall with spring-blooming bulbs and do best in well-drained soil and direct sunlight.
Most alliums will bloom for nearly a month. After the flower fades, the dry heads can be used in dried arrangements.
The Beauty of Bulbs
Plant a promise of blooms to come by adding tulip, daffodil, hyacinth, and crocus bulbs to a corner of your yard this fall. By layering them according to each of their planting depth needs, you can have two months of continuous color in a small 18-by-36-inch space.
Chionodoxa, or Glory-of-the-Snow, and grape hyacinths,add subtle hues with delicate pastel-colored flowers.
Choose a site that gets at least six hours of sun (the sun's warmth starts the growth cycle), has soil that is rich in organic matter, and drains well (add compost or peat moss to improve soil drainage). Excavate down 7 inches, placing soil onto a nearby tarp.
Plant tulip and daffodil bulbs, pointy end up, 4 inches apart. Cover with a layer of soil from the tarp. Next, plant hyacinth bulbs in the same way and cover with another layer of soil. Finally, scatter crocus and grape hyacinth bulbs together for a natural, random look. Cover with the last of the soil from the tarp.
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