The Big Five

When it comes to the Allium , sometimes also called the ornamental onion, the most frequently asked question is which one we recommend, because people usually do not include the Allium in their permanent garden decoration. I always have to answer that I find them all beautiful, but well, most people don't have much use for that. I may think that myself, but I would like to make an attempt to highlight a number of Alliums.

When we talk about large Alliums, I would like to start with Purple Sensation . This Allium starts flowering in early May, and is quickly followed by A. christophii, or the white giant Mount Everest . In June the real spectacle begins: then you can enjoy the one and only Globemaster , which is the Allium of Alliums. Shortly after that, the intensely purple, perfectly round Ambassador comes around the corner. And so it goes until August, when Summer Drummer closes the Allium festival with beautiful flowers with an incredibly long flowering period. But this is more of a chronological order: below I have named a number of Alliums that I think are definitely worth trying.

Globemaster is the real winner. The flowering of this Allium, which is a regular fixture for many people and gardens, is long and magnificent. Sometimes this Allium can give flowers for two months, which is of course fantastic. The beautifully round flowers have a diameter of at least 15 centimeters, but then they are small: this species can sometimes produce globes that reach a diameter of 30 centimeters. The stems on which these enormous flowers sit are also not the least: they can grow up to a meter high, which means that the flower comes out at a beautiful height.

The name says it all: Allium Giganteum is simply gigantic. A super flower, which easily reaches a height of one and a half meters and starts blooming a little later, so that it is with you in the garden during nice weather. This flower is an heirloom: it has been around for a while, but it deserves the recognition it has received over the years. This Allium gives your garden a somewhat more rustic look. The length of the flowers is therefore also very impressive: certainly with children or grandchildren next to it, it will really stand out how big this flower is. Very nice to see, for the little ones! And although the flower blooms a little later than other Alliums, you do not have to worry about it getting too hot: this Allium does not suffer from that.


Mount Everest is perfect in any corner of the garden, especially in the darker places, where a dark background can make this Allium pop. Just like Giganteum, Mount Everest can grow very tall. The advantage of Mount Everest is that it blooms a bit earlier, so in combination they will give you an insanely long flowering period. Spring doesn't have to end!

Ambassador is a somewhat newer variety. She is a daughter of Giganteum, and her flowers are among the most perfectly formed globes in the Allium world. The color is an intense purple, which bees in particular simply love. This Allium also easily exceeds a meter in length, and she does well in every garden.


The last on the list is certainly not the least: Allium Summer Drummer is the last of the large Alliums in terms of flowering period and ends the season well. Depending on the weather in the summer, this flower starts flowering in July, when most Alliums have long since died. That makes this Allium extremely suitable for people who like to sit in their garden for as long as possible, surrounded by different flowers.

Besides these Big Five that I have tried to list for you here, there are of course many more Alliums that are also very worthwhile. In general, they are all easy plants that do well in gardens and on terraces. They can also be used well in mixtures: they have no problem at all with sharing their piece of ground with other species. Often that looks nice, because the difference in height makes the smaller flowers extra cute. Alliums do well in a bit of shade, but they prefer a bit of sun: the more sunlight, the better.

I wish you a nice Sunday, and I hope that your garden planning goes well!

Kind regards,

Carlos van der Veek

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