There are so many alliums to choose from nowadays. When I first planted an allium back in the 1990’s, the choice in bulb catalogues was more limited. I started with Allium aflatunense ‘Purple Sensation’ and Allium cristophii having read about them in one of Christopher Lloyd’s books. What a great recommendation they turned out to be as both are still flowering in my garden. Since then, I’ve tried several other beautiful types, but my first love is still Allium cristophii.

Also known as ‘Star of Persia’, it has large sparkler-like individual flowers that form a perfect globe on a stem 50cm tall. The colour is a metallic pinky purple and the globes can be as much as 20cm in diameter. They like sun, well-drained soil and flower June-July. The seed heads are also great dried.

If alliums in general have one fault, it is that the foliage starts to die back as the flower comes out. I place them in amongst other plants, such as hardy geraniums, to mask the tatty foliage. This perennial dies back to below ground level each year in autumn, then fresh new growth appears again in spring. Buy the bulbs to plant in the autumn and this ornamental onion will reward you with a stunning display next summer.