Cooperative Living June 2016 - 26

GardenMuse | Story and Photos by Paula Steers Brown, Contributing Columnist
The Onion Family: Tops in Bloom
T
he culinary world is a much
happier place because of the onion
family, despite any tears you may
shed dicing them as you prepare all
kinds of delicious dishes.
Alliums, which include onions, garlic,
shallots and leeks, have been prized for
centuries for their impressive chemical
properties and medicinal value. The
Greeks had their athletes consume
pounds of onions before competition in
the Olympic Games and even rub their
bodies down with the juice. Their strong
antiseptic qualities were construed as
magical, and the onion's circle-within-acircle
anatomy symbolized eternity for
ancient cultures.
Furthermore, as a practical matter,
they were less perishable than many
foods, transportable, and easily grown in
a variety of soils. The allium bulb is
viewed as a buried treasure, but look up
top - many alliums are crowned with
dramatic blooms that richly enhance the
perennial garden, too.
The globe shape of allium blooms
makes a striking counterpoint to the
plant's strap-like vertical leaves. Softlavender
chive blossoms are attractive
and grow neatly in compact clumps that
make attractive edging plants for any
flower border. Plant them in a 4-foot
circle in the center of your herb garden
as a focal point, surrounding a bee skep
on a raised pedestal for a Colonial feel.
The conical shape of the crimson
Drumstick Allium (A. sphaerocephalon)
and the domed umbrella shape of
snowy-white garlic chives complement
broad-leaved plant drifts.
For pure drama, nothing beats the
giant lollipop blooms of Allium
gigantum. These fat purple globes are so
unexpected and fantastical you will feel
like Alice hitting Wonderland when you
first see them. The nodding spheres on
the tops of tall stems introduce an
24 | Cooperative Living | June 2016
Wild Leek
element of gentle movement to the garden
when the air stirs them. The most
ingenious, or I should say, stellar, use of
them was in a memorable garden at
Buffalo Springs Herb Farm in Raphine,
Virginia. Don Haynie and Tom Hamlin
created a futuristic mood through plant
forms to simulate the solar system
featuring supersized alliums as planets in
their orbits. The plants take up little space
and their foliage stays neatly in place, so
they can be easily fit into many landscapes,
giving maximum impact. Other garden
oddballs include the Tumbleweed Onion
and the Egyptian Onion, aka " Jefferson's
Hanging Onion, " grown at Monticello and
Poplar Forest - it forms small bulblets on
the tops of bloom stalks that sprout at
wacky angles to form new plants on top.
Hardy, drought-tolerant plants, alliums
are bothered little by deer and rodents,
who seem deterred by the pungent aroma.
Additionally, garlic and onions have
antibacterial and antifungal properties.
Allium bulbs exude a substance that
makes plants good companions for roses
because they discourage blackspot and
Japanese beetles, as Louise Riotte details
in her book Roses Love Garlic. Chives are
also good companions for carrots because
they deter carrot rust flies.
redskin potatoes and, after baking, scoop
out the top with a melon baller and add a
dollop of chive-infused sour cream. In fall
before frost, harvest and chop your
remaining chives and fill ice trays with
water and a teaspoonful of chives in
each cubicle to preserve a good supply of
herbs. Throughout the winter, just drop
one cube of fresh-frozen chives into
recipes instead of using the dried form.
The flowers of leeks, ornamental allium,
chives and garlic chives can be dried for
everlasting arrangements. Cut them in
full bloom on a dry day, around midmorning,
after the dew has fully dried.
Slow air-drying is best to retain color. I
personally adore the spiky skeleton of
allium blooms after the flower petals have
fallen off to leave a striking starburst
form punctuated at the ends with the
remaining brown seeds. The needle-like
framework of giants such as the 10-inch
Stars of Persia captures attention with
texture and the play of glimmering light
well into fall. Enjoy the allure of alliums
for delight in all seasons. 
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Like most bulbs, alliums should be
planted in the fall. They perform best in full
sun with good drainage. As with daffodils,
allow the foliage to die down naturally.
Alliums make great cut flowers and provide
stunning form in arrangements.
When pretty purple chive blossoms
form, use them as globe-like garnishes
or toss the edible blooms directly into
salads or vinegars. To keep chive plants
vibrant in the hotter months, give them a
" haircut. " Then chop the leaves and stir
into butter or cream cheese for a savory
spread. Tie mini-quiches and egg rolls with
a strap-like leaf of garlic chive for a bright
presentation. Enhance the flavor of baked
potatoes: slice spuds in ½-inch intervals,
accordion style, before baking, and add
fresh chives between the slices. Drizzle
with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt.
For hors d'oeuvre size, use small
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Cooperative Living June 2016

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