Today, I wandered in the garden with the camera taking pictures, looking for the most beautiful plant in bloom today. It was an impossible choice to make, but once inside looking at my pictures,this Allium albopilosium was the obvious winner. The fact is I might be a bit biased. I adore this plant. I got my first bulbs at New York Botanic Gardens before we moved here. They were among first plants transplanted in this garden . My original five bulbs have increased to six, and I have had them for more than a decade.
This year for the first time I saw them in a catalog. I just had to buy some more. When the flowers are past, I always cut them, and add red, white, and blue ribbons for a fourth of July flower arrangement that lasts until August.
This picture was taken June 4. That was just 3 days after our last frost. All of the A. albopilosum plants were unscathed. I can't say the same for the Beau Regard alliums. What should have been a nice big purple ball instead resembles a man losing his hair. The frost had obviously had a big impact on it. I got two of these rather expensive bulbs. I cut off the flower stalks hoping to save the bulbs, but from the smell I can almost guarantee one of them is already dead. We will see if the other Beau Regard makes an appearance next spring. I won't be buying any more of those until I see what happens. I may be a little crazy about plants sometimes, but I'm not stupid!
