(Mountain Onion, Pink Lily Leek)

A perennial bulb that sometimes goes under the name Allium ostrowskianum, this showy-flowered, diminutive onion is native to the mountains of southeastern Europe and Central Asia. Rounded heads of bright purple-pink flowers appear on short stems in early summer. They are preceded by two strap-shaped basal leaves, which wither before the flowers emerge. Several cultivars are available, including the robust 'Agalik Giant'.

Give this little beauty full sun and fertile, well drained soil....

(Garden Leek)

Leeks have a delicate, sweet oniony flavor that cannot be matched, and though they take a bit more work to cultivate, they are well worth growing. Unlike onions, their leaf bases are eaten as well as the bulbs. They are technically short-lived perennials but are grown as annuals. The species of wild leek from which they are derived, Allium ampeloprasum, originates from southern Europe, North Africa and regions in the Middle East where they grow in sandy coastal spots as well as open pine...

(Garden Leek)

Delicate, sweet and lacking the hot acidic taste of onions, Bandit garden leek is a must for the herb and vegetable garden! This selection is much more tolerant to winter cold and frosts and has very dark blue-green leaves. Usually grown as an annual, it is a slow-growing biennial that isn't affected by diseases that afflict onions. When 'Bandit' flowers (in the second year), it produces pinkish white flowers in the spring. Small bulbils form in the balled flower clusters and can be removed and placed...

(Garden Leek)

Delicate, sweet and lacking the hot acidic taste of onions, King Richard garden leek is a must for the herb and vegetable garden! This selection is fast-growing and readily forms long white stems before the green leaves unfurl. It also has decent tolerance to repeated light fall and winter frosts. Usually grown as an annual, it is a biennial that isn't affected by diseases that afflict onions. When 'King Richard' flowers, it produces pinkish white flowers in the spring. Small bulbils form in the...

(Garden Leek)

Delicate, sweet and lacking the hot acidic taste of onions, Tadorna garden leek is a must for the herb and vegetable garden! This selection is has very dark blue-green leaves and is known for its holding qualities once mature in the cool soils of fall and winter, if not frozen. Usually grown as an annual, it is a slow-growing biennial that isn't affected by diseases that afflict onions. When 'Tadorna' flowers (in the second year), it produces pinkish white flowers in the spring. Small bulbils form...

(Showy Onion)

This bulbous perennial is grown for its large round deep-purple flower heads which bloom in mid to late spring atop tall leafless stems. The broad, strappy, shiny basal leaves wither as the flowers emerge. This ornamental onion is similar to and often confused with several other Central and West Asian alliums.

Plant the bulbs in fertile, well drained soil at a depth two to three times their diameter. This plant likes ample sun and dryish summer conditions. Lift and divide the bulbs only when...

(Showy Onion)

This bulbous perennial is grown for its large round deep-purple umbels of star-shaped flower clusters with prominent, almost sparkly stamens. It blooms in mid to late spring atop tall leafless stems. The broad, strappy, shiny basal leaves wither as the flowers emerge. This ornamental onion is similar to and often confused with several other Central and West Asian alliums.

Plant the bulbs in fertile, well drained soil at a depth two to three times their diameter. This plant likes ample sun and...

(Cultivated Garlic, Garlic)

Among the many members of the onion family, garlic (Allium sativum), holds a place of honor for its essential culinary role. It offers distinctive, pungent flavor in cuisines across the globe. This ancient crop that was first grown in present day Central Asia and India before it reached the Ancient Egyptians through trade and they began cultivating it around 3200 BC. The ancient Hebrews, Greeks and Romans also valued garlic for food and as a medicinal curative.

Garlic is a hardy bulbous...

(Hardneck Garlic, Porcelain Garlic)

Among the many members of the onion family, garlic (Allium sativum), holds a place of honor for its essential culinary role. It offers distinctive, pungent flavor in cuisines across the globe. This ancient crop that was first grown in present day Central Asia and India before it reached the Ancient Egyptians through trade and they began cultivating it around 3200 BC. The ancient Hebrews, Greeks and Romans also valued garlic for food and as a medicinal curative.

Garlic is a hardy bulbous...

(Chives, Cultivated Chives, Garden Chives)

Most know only know chives as a chopped herb sprinkled on salads or added to cream cheese for mild onion flavor and green color, but chives are much more than that. This lovely bulbous perennial produces a bottle brush of fine, cylindrical foliage in spring and becomes topped with beautiful lavender-pink, sometimes white, clover-like flowerheads in late spring or early summer. It is a far-flung and diverse onion that’s native across much of the northern hemisphere, so it has been historically used...