Early summer displays simply aren't the same without alliums. Their spherical shape and vivid colours welcome early summer with gusto, adding texture and height to your borders. 

These blooms reappear year after year, too! Great for those on a budget. Wondering which to grow in your gardens? Here are our top 10 alliums to grow for summer. 




Image In order: Mount Everest, Violet Beauty, Millenium, and sphaerocephalon

Allium Mount Everest

We're starting off our list with an allium that ticks all the boxes. It's a pollinator favourite, fully hardy, and is a winner of the RHS Award of Garden Merit. Sitting on tall straight stems, Allium Mount Everest is a must for mid to back borders. Plus, their rare mountain top white shade adds to the unique edge of your gardens. What's not to love?!

Allium Violet Beauty


Another RHS Award of Garden Merit winner, with a RHS Plants for Pollinators award to boot! Allium Violet Beauty produces large round blooms in shades of deep purple. If you look at them up close, they are created by a mass of tiny star-shaped flowers. A superb choice for an elegant seasonal display. 


Allium Millenium


Allium Millenium is a late-flowering summer variety that will become one of your favourite flowers in the garden. They have the signature allium rounded flower head, each made up of tiny pinky-purple stars. Attracts pollinators aplenty. and can be left to die back to feed the birds with their seed heads. 

Allium sphaerocephalon


Allium sphaerocephalon, also known as 'drumsticks', is an impressive variety of allium that has been widely beloved for the last few years. This allium is more compact compared to others, but they still pack a punch in the garden! They produce round green and purple/red flowers, which create a sensational display. 

Image In order: Purple Sensation, neapolitanum, Globemaster and christophii

Allium Purple Sensation


Allium Purple Sensation is one of our top sellers and has been for years. It produces large flower heads in a deep purple shade. A pollinator-friendly pick that can fill the back of a border with height and texture. Perfect for cutting too, although I would make sure that your vase is quite heavy because these blooms are quite robust. 


Allium neapolitanum


If you're after an allium that feels more native, then Allium neapolitanum is the one for you! Its flower heads are slightly more relaxed and less formed than the average architectural allium - but that's the beauty of it! Also known as 'white garlic', this low-maintenance allium will provide your garden with carpets of bright white flowers. Don't worry, they have a sweet scent! 

Allium Globemaster

Allium Globemaster produces massive spherical heads of aster violet that bloom from mid-summer. Globemaster is another Award of Garden Merit winner, providing your garden with a tall addition to beds and borders. Can be cut for your favourite vase too. 

Allium christophii

This gorgeous bloom, also known as the Star of Persia, is a sophisticated allium that produces spherical heads with silvery lilac flower heads. Allium christophii is a more compact variety for the garden, growing on 30cm stocky stems. Quite robust, perfect for a bouquet. 




Image In order - Haarlem Superglobe mixed and Arctic Snow


Allium Haarlem Superglobe Mixed

Allium Haarlem Superglobe Mixed provides medium to tall blooms with large globe shapes varying in shades from creamy white, pink, and mauve to the deepest purple-violet. A spectacular firework-like coverage for the border. Their curled green leaves will wither just before the flowers appear in the early summer months, so we recommend complementing these stunning flowers with low-growing plants to provide filling foliage over the base areas. 

Allium schubertii Arctic Snow

Allium Schubertii Arctic Snow is a unique variety that produces frilly firework-shaped flower heads. These flower heads have spikes, and at the end of each spike is a tiny white-pronged flower. The overall effect is striking, perfect for mid-border displays.

Want to read up on all things alliums? We've got you covered! Find out when to plant your alliums with our 'When is it too late to plant alliums?' blog. Wondering what to partner with your new alliums? We've got the perfect companions! Read up on what to grow with your alliums in our 'What to plant with alliums - perfect partner plants' article.