Allium 'Drumsticks'

The vivid, burgundy balls open late spring to summer (for us, late November to January). The flowers emerge green and gradually gain colour, from the top to the bottom, lasting a gloriously long time in their rich, purple hue, then finally turn a shade of straw.

You can get the best display when you plant them in groups. Drumstick Alliums make ideal companions for ornamental grasses and mix admirably well with perennials. Their tall stems pop through wherever they are planted and their foliage is unobtrusive. They even make a nice compliment to roses (members of the garlic family, Amaryllidaceae). In short, they can be easily used in a variety of landscape locations to create stunning effects

Drumstick Allium flowers are long lasting in the garden and grow 2-5cm long. They are fantastic for cutting, looking good for a couple of weeks in a vase.

Their reliability in returning year after year makes them easy to work with, naturalising bulbs don't need to be lifted. Simply plant and enjoy their joyful mark to the seasons, plus the bees loves them!

Alliums are tough, hardy, and beautiful too! As members of the onion family, their bruised, or crushed foliage smells just like onions.

Plant Allium 'Purple Rain' into well drained soil in a sunny position. The soil drainage is important as the bulbs rot easily if left in soggy soils. If your soil is poor, adding some lime and compost to the soil prior to planting can help to give them a good start in the garden.

They will need at least six hours of sun and a warm spot in the garden to thrive. As the stems are tall, they should be sheltered from strong winds because while they are strong, there is only so much they can do.

Plant to a depth of around 7-10cm or twice the diameter of the bulb. Once planted, Allium 'Purple Rain' bulbs are best left to naturalise. This means you can relax and leave them in the ground year after year and just enjoy flowers as they rise. To help them on the way, add a well balanced fertiliser in autumn. Don't forget to mark their position (we use wooden kebab sticks just out of the ground) as you don't want to put a spade through one!

Our Tip: Plant amongst summer perennials that emerge to keep the foliage hidden. As with most Alliums, the leaves begin yellow as the blooms take off, or you can just as easily pull them out. It is also a good idea to protect new foliage from slugs and snails (it emerges in spring).

Other common names for Allium sphaerocephalon are Round headed Allium, Roundheaded Leek and Ornamental Onion.