Alliums for shade

Flower & Garden Magazine, Oct-Nov, 1995 by Patricia A. Taylor

Alliums can be grown from bulbs or seeds. Bulbs offer the quickest results and are easier to plant; simply cover the top of the bulb with one inch of soil. Seed can be sown outdoors from late spring to early summer. McDonough starts allium seeds outdoors in 3-inch-square plastic pots filled with a soilless potting mix. He covers the seeds with one-eighth inch of potting mix followed by one-eighth inch of very fine gravel. The pots are kept well watered and out of afternoon sun.

Once your alliums are established, you can forget about any further maintenance as far as spraying or staking is concerned. In addition, the plants rarely need watering or dividing.

Convinced? I hope so. Now, move aside some of those ubiquitous impatiens and make room in the shade for one or more of these interesting, colorful, carefree alliums.