Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Lilium martagon var. cattaniae

Family: Liliaceae

Hardy bulb to 5′.  Balkans.  A striking burgundy flowered form of the Turk’s Cap Lily.  Unspotted maroon blooms hang from numerous branches arranged in a chandelier fashion.  Long, cool green filaments display rust-coloured anthers.  Clusters of whorled leaves appear along the stems.  An early summer bloomer.  Sun/partial shade.  3 & T3, then 40º for 2-3 months.

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Allium sphaerocephalon

Family: (Alliaceae)

Hardy bulb to 3′.  Drumstick Allium.  Europe, North Africa, West Asia.  Cylindrical, hollow, grey-green leaves to 14 inches long form a grass-like foliage clump in spring.  Sturdy, slender stems rise in late spring and are topped with oval, clover-like flowerheads. Each flowerhead is a tight, dense, one-inch umbel of tiny florets that emerge deep green but mature (top to bottom) to rose-purple, displaying an interesting bi-colour effect.  Excellent when weaving through their neighbours.  Blooms mid-summer.  Sun. 3 & 6

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Eranthis hyemalis

Family: (Ranunculaceae)

Hardy bulb to 6″.  Winter Aconite.  Southern France to Bulgaria.  Brightly glowing, buttercup-like, yellow flowers carpeting the woodland are a sure herald of spring.  A most welcome sight after the long winter.  The low growing, dissected basal foliage dies down and disappears by summer.  Moist, well-drained soil.  Shade/partial shade. 3 & T2 & Δ

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Allium albidum subsp. caucasicum (syn. Allium denudatum)

Family: (Alliaceae)

Hardy bulb to 6″.  W Russia, Romania, Bulgaria.  This rhizomatous Allium is a fine, compact, mat-forming onion for the rock garden.  The white, star-shaped flowers in July and August are large, plentiful and sublime against the carpets of fine, green, flat foliage.  A great way to jazz things up in the rockery in mid to late summer.  Full sun and average moisture soil.  3 & 6

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Allium zebdanense

Family: (Alliaceae)

Hardy bulb to 16″.  Lebanon.  Dainty, cup-shaped, pure white flowers are held upright in loose umbels over dense clumps of smooth, bright green foliage.  Really brightens up the woodland in late spring.  Sun/partial shade.  3 & 6

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Allium togasii

Family: (Alliaceae)

Hardy bulb to 6″. Shikoku Island, Japan. A delightful alpine or rock garden plant sporting small, spherical heads of the very palest pink over neat tufts of thin, grass-like foliage. Blooms August/ September. Well-drained, sandy soil. Sun. 3 & 6

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Gladiolus communis subsp. byzantinus

Family: (Iridaceae)

Bulb to 24″.  Sword Lily.  Spain, Italy and North Africa.  Fans of sword-shaped, Iris-like leaves with spikes of funnel-shaped, almost orchid-like blooms of deep reddish purple with narrow, paler interior markings.  Blooms in late spring.  Well-drained soil.  Sun.  3 and 40º for 2-3 months, then T1

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Allium atropurpureum

Family: (Alliaceae)

Hardy bulb to 3.5′. South Europe. On top of sturdy stems, very dark wine-red florets with prominent purple anthers form an intense, two-inch wide, spherical inflorescence in late spring. Very striking in our Purple/Magenta Square in the Flower Garden. Sun. 3 & 6

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Allium caeruleum (syn. Allium azureum)

Family: (Alliaceae)

Hardy bulb to 2.5′. Siberia, Turkestan. Rich azure blue flowers form a small head atop upright stems. Blooms late spring/early summer. Very sweet. Sun. 3 & 6

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Allium schoenoprasum

Family: (Alliaceae)

Hardy bulb to 18″.  Chives.  Europe, Asia.  Ornamental, purple, umbellate, small flowerheads and bright green, cylindrical, hollow leaves.  Mild onion flavour.  Great in omelettes and salad.  Cut down to the ground when they get floppy and they spring back up.  Sun.  3 & 6