I feel slightly ashamed for the title of this post; sounds too obvious , I know. It is all because the ornamental garlic I would like to present here leaves very little to the imagination. Or... my imagination is not flamboyant enough to create other comparisons than 'cosmic' or 'fireworks. Of course this spectacular plant is not to be blamed, not at all. As a matter of fact it could be studied by students of architecture what ingenious patterns exist in the world of flowers and inflorescences. Ready to copy. Allium schubertii - the Latin name of the hero embodies the creative aspect of nature which made us think: Why this way? It is only a plant, does it have to be so awesome? The garlic knows the answer.
There are a lot of ornamental bulbs attracting our senses with their colour, shape and smell. Garlics decided to appeal to our sense of beginnings and order. The perfectly shaped spherical flower heads are like a Big Bang illustration and the opening flowers behave accordingly. First develop those in the centre showing their lavender petals, while those sitting on the longer stalks wait their turn. Soon they follow the miraculous action and in a few days the showy inflorescence lures all the bees in the vicinity and our eyes, of course. Although the leaves smell with the well-known garlic odour, the flowers give off a very sweet and pleasant perfume. Each visiting bee is rewarded not only with a dose of nice scent but also with a good share of sugary nectar. Bees love garlics, I mean their flowers.
Being so dazzling, this ornamental garlic is unexpectedly easy to cultivate in almost every garden. The word 'almost' refers to all the gardens with the soil draining well but not too fast drying. Heavy soils do not secure enough drainage and the bulbs of ornamental garlic just do not grow in them. The next key to success with the Big Bang garlic is light and a lot of it. It is a good idea to plant several bulbs in one sunny spot to create a nice display. The bulbs should be planted in the fall, the bigger the bulbs the better the blooming. When the flowers fade away and all that is left are green fruit capsules, we can either wait until they turn light brown and crack open letting the seeds fall to the ground, or cut them a little earlier and dry out inside. Dry inflorescences serve as a great indoor decoration.
Being so dazzling, this ornamental garlic is unexpectedly easy to cultivate in almost every garden. The word 'almost' refers to all the gardens with the soil draining well but not too fast drying. Heavy soils do not secure enough drainage and the bulbs of ornamental garlic just do not grow in them. The next key to success with the Big Bang garlic is light and a lot of it. It is a good idea to plant several bulbs in one sunny spot to create a nice display. The bulbs should be planted in the fall, the bigger the bulbs the better the blooming. When the flowers fade away and all that is left are green fruit capsules, we can either wait until they turn light brown and crack open letting the seeds fall to the ground, or cut them a little earlier and dry out inside. Dry inflorescences serve as a great indoor decoration.
Jarek
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