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Allium Lavender Bubbles

GardenerSuzeGardenerSuze Posts: 5,692
in Plants
I have just bought a large pot of this plant half price £6.50 at a local GC. I had noticed it a few weeks ago in flower and decided to give it a go. Just wondered if anyone else grows it?
I think it might be a fairly new plant?
I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.

Posts

  • PlantmindedPlantminded Posts: 3,580
    I don't know that one @GardenerSuze and have just looked it up on the Crocus website.  It's a new variety, Chelsea Award Winner and later flowering.  I like the look of it, plus the leaves look more robust and compact, not messy which puts me off a lot of alliums!  It reminded me of a giant chive plant, which I know is a relative!
    Wirral. Sandy, free draining soil.


  • GardenerSuzeGardenerSuze Posts: 5,692
    @Plantminded Yes a large pot full will split really well.  Yes a giant chive I see what you mean. 
    I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
  • FireFire Posts: 19,096
    It's supposed to be very perennial. It would be interesting to see how they return over the years. I've never had a lollipop allium that came back more than twice.
  • NollieNollie Posts: 7,529
    That looks a good one, Suze. A later-flowering allium would be welcome, they go over so fast here. I was recently eying up the also chive-like Summer Beauty on Peter Nyssen’s website but Bubbles looks a better form and colour.

    @Fire try Purple Rain - that’s come back very reliably for me for several years now, unlike Purple Sensation which was a one-season wonder.
    Mountainous Northern Catalunya, Spain. Hot summers, cold winters.
  • FireFire Posts: 19,096
    @Nollie, some people on the forum say they find lollipops come back reliably for them year after year and even multiply. I think they are generally just not very happy with me. It seems that they perhaps like sandy, well drained soil plus lots of food. I have heavy soil, though well drained as we are on various hills. Allium nurseries choose sandy soil. I might not get lucky with allium choosing to stay.

    I am experimenting with A. spherocephalon in raised beds - probably my fav allium to date -  and very much they will choose to stay.

  • GardenerSuzeGardenerSuze Posts: 5,692
    edited September 2023
    I have grown Allium cernuum for years, late May flowering. Nodding rather than lollipop and not so tall. It's a plant that I wouldn't be without. For years I grew it in full sun and dry soil. Then I found it did even better in shade and the plants were a third bigger.

    Always neat and tidy good seedheads great at the side of a path. Happy in clay and survives a wet winter well. I have never know it to rot when wet and cold. So many spaces were filled with it in my old garden, which was challenging. Split and sold for charity, given as gifts. I have grown it for over twenty five years. Shake seedheads for lots more plants.
    I have tried the white form but disappointing.

    Just taken another look at the A Lavender Bubbles label it states toxic to pets. I don't have any but thought I would mention it.
    The other plant I bought today was Cotoneaster Coral Beauty for the front garden and I was more concerned about the berries on that!
    I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
  • NollieNollie Posts: 7,529
    I have very heavy clay but PR seems to thrive, Fire, as do ordinary chives. I don’t get much rain over winter though. My soil defeats spherocephalon and atropurpureum. The latter are my favourite so I just treat them like the annual they are determined to be.
    Mountainous Northern Catalunya, Spain. Hot summers, cold winters.
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