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My aliums are up - my first Continus Purple Smoke is flowering ...

ren.bren.b Posts: 164
in Plants
Wanted to show you guys my flowering plants - am so pleased, first time I've grown these.  Think the alliums are the biggest one's (can't remember which one) - have left the leaves on but draped them over one of those single plant holders.
The bees are all over these two and I LOVE the flowers on the Continus Royal - so delicate, wish I had bought more now ....
I can't believe how much I've changed .... I'm actually happy when it rains now .... :D

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  • UffUff Posts: 3,199
    Splendid ren.b. It's thalictrum, not cotinus, you are excited aren't you  :)
    You can cut the leaves off the allium and it won't do any harm. I usually cut mine off as soon as they start to go brown as it detracts from the flower.
    Well done, it's onwards and upwards now is it?
    SW SCOTLAND but born in Derbyshire
  • GardenerSuzeGardenerSuze Posts: 5,692
    @ren.b Thank for sharing your beautiful Alliums  agree it is fine to remove the leaves. Looks like you will have some fab seed heads too great for drying.
    I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
  • LynLyn Posts: 23,190
    If you leave the flower heads to die off on the Thalictrum it may self seed and you’ll get lots more. 
    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • ren.bren.b Posts: 164
    Gawd - I'm an idiot, I had just finished watering the Continus on the other side so got confused, yes it's a Thalictrum lol ....thanks Uff!  yes, I do get excited about my plants (I have no life) :D

    Gardener Suz - I read that leaving the leaves on the alliums is better for the plants until they finish flowering at least but if it's okay to remove them - how would I do that?  Is it cutting them at the base?  Lyn - Good news about the Thalictrum possibly self-seeding - would love more.  Thank you for your comments - love this group! <3
  • UffUff Posts: 3,199
    I do exactly the same thing ren.b but I blame it on my age - gets me out of a lot of trouble because people feel sorry for me  o:)
    I get excited about my plants too but excuse myself for that. 
    SW SCOTLAND but born in Derbyshire
  • ren.bren.b Posts: 164
    Uff - I've got lots of excuses for my memory lapses - previous brain surgery, menopause and now brain fog from hypothyroidism - I just choose one at random lol.  I feel personally responsible for my plants and feel really guilty if something goes wrong because it's usually due to my lack of information - that's why I'm in here every 5 minutes .... :D
  • GardenerSuzeGardenerSuze Posts: 5,692
    @ren.b I have always removed them at the base. I think you will find that other gardeners feel happier to leave them.  An alternative would be to plant a hardy geranium you will be able to tuck the leaves under it
    I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
  • ren.bren.b Posts: 164
    ohhh what a good idea about the geraniums .... I don't have anything else in there with them and it's a bit of an awkward spot as there is some shade due to the large eunonymus next to them - do they mind partial sun/shade?
  • ren.bren.b Posts: 164
    Mind you, most of the leaves are curling and brown now so does that mean that whatever nutrients they held has now been depleted so it doesn't matter if I cut them back?  God, this is really complicated this gardening lark .... :D
  • UffUff Posts: 3,199
    It's not really complicated with the aliums ren.b. When you see the leaves starting to look a mess then cut them back. See the pic below that I've just taken of some of mine that were cut back weeks ago. I knew that by the time the flowers reached their peak the hostas (and everything else in the bed) would cover where the leaves had been. 


    SW SCOTLAND but born in Derbyshire
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