I love ornamental alliums! I clicked on this forum knowing every post would be about onions. LOL. I am getting some bulbs this fall. I will start talking about them next spring for sure. I love the giant ones!

I wondered that too,I posted on this site just rescently and I don't see my post. Must have done something wrong. Now I don't remember what I asked,

Here I is! lol This year I just have "mollys" and the large dark purple ball shaped. The bees LOVE them. I grow them right in the vegetable garden. Beautiful accents. Smile Sudzy

Not into the ones you eat but the ornamental ones are beautiful. I started growing them about three years ago.

I love ornamental Alliums, i grew my first batch of 5 Ambassadors and they were absolutely mezmerizing! I just placed an order for 30 more to plant this fall!

Check out this website (scroll down a bit to see their list of alliums): they're Dutch, but speak & write English, too. These guys create new hybrids every year; ornamental, of course, but why not edible, too.

Here is a link that might be useful: Mellema-Versteeg

can these be dried and used in wreaths?

I planted my first ones last year, and I love the way they look (Gladiator). I have planted many more this year.
kay

I just dug up an allium globemaster bulb last week, it was poking out of the earth strangely, and when I went to move it discovered a volleyball sized creature - 10 new big allium bulbs stuck together on what I believe was the original planted 3 years ago. Wish I'd had the time to dig up the others, but took over an hour to get this baby out - was so delighted!

Already had about 4 varieties in the garden I tend, new additions this year are: hair allium, moly luteum, a. azureums, and a. ostroskianum. Tried to get some a. christophii - sold out everywhere, will try again next year.

Also considered a. forelock and a.schubertii, and what I think is a.flavium (in purple, yellow, and white, a 'fireworks' mix) but will wait until next year on those, saving some of the wonder. :)

I also put together a huge allium planter featuring the hair, and threw in some muscari plumosum which have a similar 'crazy' look going on. Cannot wait until spring!

On Martha Stewart I saw that she kept the dried out alliums after they were spent and at the holidays, she spray painted them silver--they were a gorgeous arrangement on her mantle. Great use of recycling! They looked like shiny stars.

I love the ornamental alliums and would love a whole border of them, but that sounds super expensive. Does anyone grow these from seed?

I wanted to ask about people's experience growing from seed. I'm ready to order a. Christophii seeds, but I'm wondering if, like lilies, they will take several years to reach blooming age. I love alliums and have many, but always want more.

I discovered ornamental allium 2 years ago and I think they're a great addition to any garden. I had plans to put some in several of my beds and bought a bunch of 30 Drumstick allium bulbs last fall, but didn't get the chance to plant them. Does anyone know if they will keep until next year? And I'd also like to try seed and would appreciate anyone's advise on how long they take to germinate. Thanks!
ej

Love the Ornamental Alliums! Saw them in the Boston Public Garden 2 years ago and just fell in love with them. That fall I planted a dozen Globe Masters in one of my flower beds and 4 Gladiators, 10 of the smaller type alliums in another on the side of my house(I have 7 flower beds). Unfortunately, the gladiators and smaller alliums never grew. However, the Glober Masters were stunning (unitl a neighbors dog trampled them). I was so pleased, I planted 8 more in the fall in 2 different flower beds. The greens are about 4 inches tall and some of the original flowers have duplicated. Can't wait to see them bloom! It's a mystery why the Gladiators and others didn't survive. Wondering if the critters had anything to do it. I'll try that spot again in the fall. Wish me luck!