It has been a while since I had these small, low growing Allium Karataviense in the garden, or Bollök as they are called in Swedish. Last autumn I rediscovered them. And I am very happy about it. So far only the ones in pots are in bloom. It is the beautiful leaves that this Allium is known for. They reach a height somewhere between 10-25 cm which makes them perfect to have in pots but of course also in an ordinary flower bed.

An entirely white variety called ’Ivory Queen’.  Another one, with dark red pinkish flower balls called ’Ssp Henrik II (Red Globe) named after Henrik Zetterlund, a curator at the botanical garden of Göteborg, and discovered on an expedition in 1996.  Apparently the ’Ivory Queen’ gets beautiful seed heads and has a greater growing value because of it. It will be interesting to see if the variety I have will have that too.

The fact regarding Allium Karataviense comes from the books ’ lökar och knölar’ (Bulbs and tubers) by Marie Hansson and Björn Hansson.

More about the book HERE

These have been in the warmth of the greenhouse and have become quite high.

When the space isn’t enough

A plastic crate for plants. Lined with magazines and last autumn the left over bulbs that were not planted in pots or flower beds were planted in it. Now it is high time to do something with them.