Allium Lavender Bubbles

Allium 'Lavender Bubbles' is a vigorous and prolific ornamental garlic that quickly develops into a dense clump of slightly twisted beautiful glaucous green leaves. Unlike most other varieties, its foliage does not disappear either before or during flowering, but remains ornamental until the end of summer. It forms a beautiful backdrop for its numerous dark purple ball-shaped inflorescences. They bloom in the second half of summer, buzzing with a constant stream of pollinating insects. No more difficult to grow than a perennial, it thrives in the sun, in ordinary but well-draining soil. It is simply spectacular along a pathway or in a flower bed, as well as in a container on a patio. Its fresh or dried flowers are long-lasting in bouquets.

Allium 'Lavender Bubbles' is a recently obtained hybrid ornamental garlic variety bred by breeder Hans Hansen of Walters Gardens in Michigan. It is the result of crossing two seedlings from the famous A. 'Millennium'. 'Lavender Bubbles' produces more bluish-grey leaves than its parent and darker flowers. It is also more prolific, hardier, and blooms 2 to 3 weeks later. All these plants belong to the Amaryllidaceae family. They are cousins of garlic and leeks, with which they share a characteristic odour in their foliage, which is perceptible when crushed.

The 'Lavender Bubbles' cultivar develops in spring from a bulbous rhizome that forms a beautiful clump of upright, fairly slender, linear, glossy, bright green leaves. It reaches about 40cm (16in) in height and spreads laterally through its slightly sucker-forming rhizome, at least 50cm (20in) wide. Flowering occurs in July-August in average climates, lasting 5 to 6 weeks. From the centre of the clumps emerge 55cm (22in) tall stems, each carrying a solitary spherical inflorescence measuring 7 to 9cm (3 to 4in) in diameter. The inflorescence is composed of a multitude of tiny dusty dark purple star-shaped nectar-rich and honey-producing flowers.

Allium 'Lavender Bubbles' is remarkable when planted en masse along a pathway or in a flower bed. It looks wonderful planted with perennials in shades of pink and blue in a romantic mixed border. It beautifully accompanies daylilies, bellflowers, Agastaches, and catmints. In an unusual flower and vegetable mix, it can be paired with chives, coloured-stem Swiss chard, Pennisetum x advena 'Rubrum', purple basil, and many more. For a more "dynamic" effect, its flowers can structure a contemporary garden where various geometric shapes oppose each other. It can be combined with Stipa tenuifolia, lavender, and cone-shaped trimmed boxwoods.

In short, the planting possibilities are endless!