Alliums are a wonderful addition to the garden, what are they? Well they are a posh onion, well they have the smell of onions or garlic. The most popular are the large globe varieties, which come in various sizes, from a small two or three centimeters across to the larger giant globes upto 10 centimeters across. They are a bulbous perennial,  the foliage appears in the spring and the flower will follow shortly after on a leafless stem growing from 10 centimeters upto a meter in height. Once ther flower begins to open the leaves will die back, the flower itself will last long after the leaves have faded away.

When planting Alliums, avoid placing them in a damp place, the bulbs prefer well drained soil,  with a sheltered but sunny place in the garden. the majority of varieties are edible, however some are poisonous to dogs and cats. 

Alliums are quite easy to look after, needing very little care apart from a good feeding as they start to appear. Once the flower fades it can be left to seed or removed, the leaves will have already faded away.