Allium angulosum ‘Summer Beauty’ mixes with Calamintha nepeta ssp. nepeta (foreground),
Stachys officinalis ‘Hummelo’ and Seslaria autumnalis in the boulevards of Fontana.

I like Allium angulosum ‘Summer Beauty’ so much I have to be careful not to overuse it. In early April, its foliage gives substance to the garden. Round lilac flowers bloom from late June into late July. I don’t deadhead it because in early fall, the flowering stems turn reddish-yellow, contrasting with the rich green foliage.

This plant mingles well because it has a mounding
growth habit, respects its space, and it’s sterile, so it doesn’t create extra work by seeding around. With all its strong features, this plant will help you develop a stylish, healthy, long-lived planting.

Common Name: ‘Summer Beauty’ allium

Botanical Name: Allium angulosum ‘Summer Beauty’

Color: Lilac

Blooming Period: Late June to late July

Size: 16 to 18 inches with similar spread in five years

Exposure: Full sun

When to Plant: Throughout the growing season

Soil: Average, well-drained

Watering: Keep moist until established. Does well in average to slightly drier soils.

When to Fertilize: Needs no commercial fertilizer. Nutrients can be provided by mulching with leaf compost every two to three years.

In Your Landscape: I like it planted with Calamintha nepeta ssp. nepeta, Seslaria autumnalis or Limonium latifolium.

Even when it’s not in bloom, ‘Summer Beauty’ has attractive, grass-like foliage
that combines well with mounding plants like Nepeta ‘Early Bird’.

(From Wisconsin Gardening Volume I Issue I. Photography By Roy Diblik.)