Allium Bulbs
Allium flower bulbs will be available to order from spring 2025 for delivery and planting in autumn 2025.
For spring planting, check out our wildflower bulbs ‘In The Green’ which are available to order now for planting from January to March.
Creating the most magnificent display, Alliums come in all sorts of shapes and sizes. Although a firm favourite with avid gardeners, these are most popular with bees, butterflies and insects who cannot resist those nectar-rich flowers. Gigantic alliums such as Giganteum will create drama planted in borders, whilst Wild Garlic will fill the air with its scent after those early spring showers.
Like everything we supply here at Boston Seeds, we pride ourselves on supplying professional quality - and for flower bulbs, that means BIG! Our bigger bulbs produce bigger, better and bolder flowers. Choose from our exciting range of varieties - allium surprise bulb collection, old favourites, garden classics as well as striking new lines for 2024.
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Planted in groups, this allium produces distinctive egg-shaped flowers that bloom into a crisp purple. Once finished the flower heads can be dried and sprayed and create decorative displays in your home.
- Height (cm): 60cm
- Bulb Size (cm): 6+cm
- Blooms: June
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Specifically designed to help bulbs establish in pots and borders, without the risk of the bulbs rotting, providing an open and free-draining soil structure.
- Ideal for planting with Narcissi, Crocus, Hyacinths and other spring-flowering bulbs
- Universal bulb planting fibre
- 500gm bag - This pack is sufficient for 3 x 1-litre pots
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Also known as Honey Lily or Siculum, this unusual flower has long hanging bell-shaped flowers, that is a creamy green with tinges of pink on the petals. The decorative seed heads will appear in late summer.
- Height (cm): 60cm
- Bulb Size (cm): 8 / 10cm
- Blooms: May/June
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Easy to grow, later flowering alliums these deep aqua blue blooms will add a boost of colour and sweet scent to your beds' borders or pots. They can be in partial shade or full sun and prefer well-drained soils.
- Height (cm): 60cm
- Bulb Size (cm): 4 / 5cm
- Blooms: June/July
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Alliums: Advice On How To Grow Them (And Why!)
If you’ll pardon the pun, this bulb flower has a real way of growing on you; it produces medium-to-tall upright stalks ending in a bold globe of fluffy-looking florets in a rich violet colour (though several species have lighter lilac petals). These punchy, purple pom-poms have a real way of drawing the eye - as such, you’re best scattering them evenly throughout a sunny border or a tall, grassy meadow. They’re also excellent cut flowers!
Fun Facts
The ornamental allium symbolises unity and patience. Fitting, as it grows dozens of florets in one bulb. In fact, the word “onion” is derived from the latin word unio, as in union!
There aren’t many myths surrounding onions, as you may expect from a plant most commonly seen in the kitchen; however, there are some myths linking them to the magic of tears and the importance of emotional release.
How to grow
Alliums are best planted early-to-mid autumn, and typically flower from May to June. They require well-drained soil and plenty of sunlight - be wary of cold or wet conditions where the bulbs may rot. Their tall, upright stems also require protection from the wind.
Smaller species of allium should be planted roughly 10cm apart; taller species require 20cm between each bulb. Alternatively, they can be planted in containers.
Alliums are tolerant to drought and dislike being watered in the summer. Alliums grown in containers will need regular watering, but take care that they don’t get too damp.
Alliums have sparse foliage at the base that will begin to die at flowering time. You can cover these up with lower-growing flowers, or remove them to no ill effect.
Species & Styles
Popular allium species include Gladiator and Giganteum: these are formidable flowers in terms of size alone, with their flower heads growing 10-25cm across! Similarly, the well-named Mount Everest is one of the taller allium species at an average of 90cm tall.
Thinking about mixing and contrasting colours? The more popular varieties are iris purple, but there are plenty of others: the aforementioned ‘Mount Everest’ breed, as well as the smaller Graceful’ Beauty breed, both have a pale silver-lilac colouration. The later-blooming Allium atropurpureum and Allium sphaerocephalon have smaller, denser flower heads that bloom in a richer magenta (and the latter is accented with green).
Bright orange and yellow plants lend themselves to an eye-catching, summery effect. For a softer look, try a pale white or pink plant, or a plant with silver foliage.
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