4th of July and Allium Schubertii


 WOW!  What is that weird looking thing?! 

 

Such would be the typical reaction of someone seeing  Allium schubertii while touring my garden.  I remember the first fall I planted it...

then forgot it...

then was BLOWN OVER by it when it appeared the following spring. In all of its spidery, galactic glory.

It doesn't even look like a plant to me.  Rather some exotic creature of the sea...

that might sting...or exude something slimy.  

Still, I must have it in my garden because of these very characteristics.

AND because when it dries, and you spray paint it gold or silver 

and gather these gilded flower heads into a bouquet that

you tie with red, white and blue flag ribbon

and some gold or silver tinsel tucked in for added sparkle...

it is just TOO fun.  Especially if you tie it to the handle bars of your bike with bunting woven through the spokes (something I have done, but sadly did not photograph).

If you want to put this on your fall bulb planting list, you can find it here through Colorblends Bulbs.


Buy three or more for added drama.  Though just one of these 12-18 inch blooms will knock your socks off.


I've found at planting it helps if you



*  dig a large hole to   accommodate it...larger than recommended on the planting instructions

*  put a couple handfuls of gravel (if you have poor drainage in heavy clay like I do) at the bottom of the hole


* and back fill with really good loamy soil.


* when it first erupts from the soil, give it a dose of a bulb boost fertilizer, and wait for the show to begin.


Follow these tips and there's a greater chance their other worldliness will return again next spring.


Do try them.


.

It's never too early to start planning for the next Fourth of July.















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