Summer Beauty Allium - Spring Emergence - March 2021

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 Last year, I planted (in two sets) twelve Summer Beauty Ornamental Onion (Allium) on the south side of our backyard in two different spots.  First, I put in four underneath one of the Espalier'd Lindens, then seven more further down (and one more by the Lindens) all in a cluster that will, hopefully, grow up and out into a nice drift of alliums.  This is my first Spring with them and I'm happy to see that they're showing a lot of nice, new green growth coming out of the ground and seem to be one of the first movers of the season.  

My count shows that all twelve are (right now) showing signs of life, so I'm thinking they all are coming back.  

I threw down some wood chips on top of these to shelter them from the cold last Fall and I'm thinking these might have helped in some way.  But, they sure take on a messy look once Spring comes, don't they?  Have a look at three of these Allium covered with Fall wood chips below.  These need a new, fresh coat of hardwood fine mulch, don't they?


For 2021, I'm planning on planting eight more of these - in priority area #1 (behind the south Oak tree) along with some ferns that will give me a little bit of green and flowers in what is now a mostly bare area.    We've bought some things last year through a friend who has a commercial account at Hinsdale Nursery and I'm thinking that's where we'll be able to find these again this year.  Or, perhaps...the Morton Arboretum Plant Sale - which I understand is coming back to Spring this year. 

I have a collecting mantra, but I might need a plant mantra. At the very least, I suppose I have a foundational rule now:  don't buy just one of anything.  

Location: Downers Grove, IL, USA

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