Allium Gladiator
Planted along the main herbaceous
borders
The group of plants known as Alliums are
best known for our much loved onion. With approximately 850 species
in the genus, the onions are a varied group of plants. Many, while
not be edible do have rather fabulous flowers.
Along the herbaceous border there are several large flowered
Alliums including 'Gladiator' and 'Globemaster'. These are
large-flowered (up to 8" across) clump-forming bulbs
suitable for open and sunny sites in well drained soils. Avoid wet
soils as the bulbs can rot.
The often straggly leaves begin to die down at flowering and for
this reason alliums are best planted so they are masked behind the
foliage of other plants.
The distinctive onion-like smell found in this genus is due to
sulphurous compounds contained in its tissues that makes them
unpalatable to insects and animals.
AGM (Royal Horticultural Society Award of Garden
Merit). This award indicates that this plant is
recommended by the RHS following plant trials during which the
plant met strict criteria testing its garden
worthiness.
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