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Alliums

peteSpeteS Posts: 966

I'm thinking of buying some allium bulbs later in the summer. I've never grown them before so could anyone tell me if they fill the air with the smell of onions when in flower or otherwise. I love the smell of wild garlic, but I wouldn't fancy the smell of onions. Many thanks.

Posts

  • fidgetbonesfidgetbones Posts: 17,617

    Unless you crush the leaves, I find there is no oniony or garlic smell.  I have a couple of hundred in flower in the garden at the moment. All I can smell is the Philadelphus.

  • plant pauperplant pauper Posts: 6,904

    No oniony smell at all and I checked.

    I noticed earlier today they are alive with bees too. All in all a good purchase. I bought a collection to grow at different heights and that worked out well too. image

  • PalustrisPalustris Posts: 4,307

    Many of them actually have sweet scented flowers.

  • Niknak2Niknak2 Posts: 20

    When is the best time to plant & buy alliums?

  • The user and all related content has been deleted.
  • raisingirlraisingirl Posts: 7,091

    order them in summer from a reputable supplier who will post them to you in time to plant them in the autumn.

    To the OP - the only bulbs I have found actually smell a bit oniony are 'nectaroscordum' which I think technically are not alliums but either used to be classified as alliums or have been sold as alliums in the past. They have a rather strange smell in strong sunshine - not exactly 'onion' - possibly more 'old tyres'? I have alliums christophii, sphaerocephalum, caeruleum and mount everest in my garden and my neighbour's is full of purple sensation. No onion smell at all unless you crush the leaves while weeding in the vicinity image

    Gardening on the edge of Exmoor, in Devon

    “It's still magic even if you know how it's done.” 
  • Niknak2Niknak2 Posts: 20

    Thanks for info & apologies for the post hijack! ?

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