Allium sphaerocephalon

Allium sphaerocephalon, also called the Drumstick Allium, have been a great addition to our Driveway Garden for 4 years now.

I first wanted to grow them because I saw them everywhere in my reading on English gardens. In the UK, they are considered a garden staple apparently, and after growing them I can see why. They add cottage-charm to a boarder, looking good from their sprouting up in late May until they are cut down at the end of July. Their round, reddish-purple heads last for weeks. And best of all, they bloom while the garden is rebounding, after the old roses and before the high summer flowers have started (like purple coneflower, Echinacea purpurea).

Photo from the Driveway Garden in June 2008

I love their green heads in May and June. They are a wonderful accent to all of the flowers in those months. Above is Allium sphaerocephalon with Geranium 'Orion' and Lavendula 'Hidcote'.

This year, Allium sphaerocephalon with Geranium 'Rozanne', both blooming above a carpet of Sedum 'Acre'.


They seem to come back quite well in well-drained, sunny areas. They are in the onion family, so the odor keeps animal pests away. But after four years, they are finally starting to look a bit thin. I will want to replant some this year if I want to keep them playing their role.

July 2009

You can see the mass of alliums hovering over the artemesia and below the purple coneflower. This photo was taken when our house was still white and rusted. I am so thankful for paint! (Thank you, honey!)

Photo from Driveway Garden in July 2009

In past years, Allium sphaerocephalon has made a great combination with the reseeding, brilliant orange California poppy (Eschscholzia californica). You can see them together right along the sidewalk path to the backyard. I think I will make a note to put out some more poppy seeds next year. They lasted three years here without a thought. 

One garden editing thought: They do lean as the heads bloom larger. Next time, I think I will plant them more in the middle of the boarder instead of the front. Though I love their see-through quality at the front in early summer, they rather flop later. Better to have some other plants to lean on.  

My last comment on this allium is that it needs to be planted in large groups. Do not bother planting a couple, and even ten is rather slim. Plant at least in groups of 25 bulbs, I would say. And plant multiple groups.

Read more about the Driveway Garden in July:
Geranium 'Orion'
Asiatic Lily 'Rosella’s Dream'
oh... and the pitiful flower

Asiatic Lily 'Rosella’s Dream'

I added Asiatic Lily 'Rosella’s Dream' two years ago as a pink accent over the cloud of blue from Geranium 'Orion'. (I wrote about it just last week.)  

They have been a terrific pair at the top of the Driveway Garden. The geraniums start at the beginning of June and these lilies burst the last week of June.

 They are settled right around the new trellis from the spring.

Seen in front of the green garage door.

Lily 'Rosella's Dream' lasted for a couple of weeks. It was very hot and dry here and hardly a drop of rain. I just trimmed the tops off the lilies (now mid-July) to prevent them from using energy on seed making, but I left the stalks for their brilliant yellow foliage in the fall.

 View down the length of the Driveway Garden to the sidewalk.

More lilies to come this summer...
Oriental Lily 'Casa Blanca' will be blooming in this garden any day now. 

Hill Garden in July

The Hill Garden

The Hill Garden is at the front of our property by the driveway. It once was home to an old stump, but now is a hill of roses.

The Hill succession planting is coming along nicely this year. It started with the daffs in April, then the purple creeping phlox and tulips in May. There were some re-tooling weeks in June while the foliage held the scene together (see GBBD June), but soon it has burst again with Rosa 'The Fairy' and Leucanthemum superbum 'Becky' (also known as shasta daisies).  The silver of lamb's ears (Stachys byzantine) adds a needed lift to the color scheme in this area.

Rosa 'The Fairy'

 This rose has performed wonderfully for us. It is a very well-drained site. They re-bloom til Thanksgiving some years (see some photos from October 2010).  And sometimes even for the first snow! See my Fairy in the Snow photo from 2009.

I am loving the red-leaved cannas at the top of this bed this year. They seems to tie it all together, the greens of the perennials and the red of the barberry bushes.

The daisies were not as long lasting this year as I remember them being last year. Perhaps it was the lack of water this month (only 0.2 inches so far instead of the average 4 inches for July). But we enjoyed them while they lasted.  I just cut the dead blooms off last night (to above the second or third set of leaves) and may get a few to rebloom this month.

I did rather miss the mallow at the top. I think that I must have "chelsea chopped" them too late this year... or else they are just failing in the heat. See the mallows added to the Hill in 2010. Just gorgeous.

View down the entire front of the house, including the Front Woodland.

Thanks for coming in the heat for a walk around the Hill Garden.

Foliage Follow-up July 2011

So, I already started gushing about our green backyard yesterday.
Here on Foliage Follow-up Day with Pam at Digging, I find more room to sing its praise.

Our patio in July with our wonderful maple trees.

Great spot for reading, relaxing, eating chocolate desserts :)

We also really enjoy eating dinner and watching the birds come and go to the feeder.

Our mature tree canopy

For a glimpse of our mature trees, check out the Green Canopy video.

 Christmas Fern

Ivy balls in training

Thanks to Pam for hosting FFD! 

Check out the flowers at Gilmore Gardens from July GBBD yesterday.