Allium
Important group of edible and ornamental herbs, frequently garlic scented and so traditionally planted near roses both to keep bugs away and allegedly enhance scent. A surprising number occur wild in Britain but are extremely localised in their distribution. The architectural species with "geodesic-dome" type heads usually prefer dry conditions and full sun whilst the smaller species, particularly the culinary varieties mostly prefer richer damper surroundings and naturalise well. Many are extremely attractive with an assortment of flower shapes.
Please note we don't sell bulbs of the larger species and when potted they are unsuited to courier despatch because of the impossibility of packaging them. However, we do have a wide variety of the big ones for collection from the nursery by clients needing instant gardens, Chelsea exhibits etc. Small ones can usually be sent with impunity. D A golden dye may be extracted from the skins of most Alliums
The following plants may be available to buy from Arne Herbs Nursery. Please contact us or call +44 (0) 1275 333 399 to confirm stock availability.
| Allium afflatuense, purple sensation
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| As much as we hate "named varieties" as artificial travesties, we have to stock this amazingly spectacular variety
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| Allium ampeloprasum var babingtonii Babington Leek
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| Rare British native, tall with top sprouting bulbuls named for CC Babington who died in 1895
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| Allium azureum syn A caeruleum Blue allium
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| Relatively short, about 24", buy it for its startling looks |
| Allium canadense var fraseri (?)
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| Use bulbs as onions, stems as chives, excellent pickling and stewing onion. White flrs. Attractive and versatile Allium. Explorers in the North West said to have subsisted on it for months |
| Allium carinatum pulchellum var rosea
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| Gets everywhere, but so pretty that no one cares. The pink flrs resemble a mass of sparklers at a childrens' party |
| Allium carinatum pulchellum var alba
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| White form of above Flrs like a blizzard of snow flakes |
| Allium cepa var perutile Ever ready onion
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| Everyone's granny grew this now rare herb for a constant supply of small onions |
| Allium cepa var proliferum Tree onion
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| Rich loam and full sun, see how many generations you can grow on one stem, much more fun than competing for the tallest sun flower
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| Allium cernuum Nodding onion
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| It nods, what more can you say beyond praising its lovely magenta flrs
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| Allium christophii
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| One of the big geodesic domes for the hot dry garden |
| Allium cyathophorum syn farreri
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| My favourite Allium not just because it's easy but the claret coloured bells are beautiful, otherwise much like a chive |
| Allium cyrilli
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| Said to smell better than your average Allium. Flowers are quite pretty too |
| Allium fistulosum Welsh onion
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| Like a chive only much, much bigger |
| Allium flavum Small yellow onion
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| Small and temperamental, masses of yellow flrs some years, none the next
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| Allium giganteum var "Gladiator"
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| Said to be even more spectacular than the celebrated species |
| Allium karataviense
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| Interesting dwarf rockery plant with attractive foliage and purple flrs
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| Allium Macleanii
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| syn A elatum, a big one found growing in the desert around Kabul so there are advantages in buying from us rather than digging up in the wild |
| Allium moly
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| Yellow flrs like A flavum, but generally more reliable |
| Allium moly var "Mount Everest" Actually it doesn't look anything like A.moly but I didn't classify it
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| New to us so no description, however its reputation as a superb ornamental has gone before it, though whether it has the magiferous qualities described in Homer we don't know |
| Allium Neapolitanum Neapolitan onion
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| Low growing to about 12" White flrs, naturalises well
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| Allium nigrum
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| Not really black at all, but named for its ovaries. An attractive low growing white flowered species |
| Allium Oreophilum "Ostrowskianum"
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| Familiar and deservedly popular dwarf Allium from Afghani mountains with variable reddish flrs |
