Allium sinescens ssp montanum

Common name: Mountain onion

It wasn't long ago that the garden magazines were featuring ornamental onions. Most eyecatching were the tall, single stalk varieties with a single globe at the top. Fads come and go, but many of the smaller onions remain in the best garden designs. The reason is that they are carefree and easy to grow. All they need is reasonably good soil and some water.

Year after year Mountain onion remains a dense clump, with many golf ball size white flowers on 16" stems.

Ideal conditions: full sun to part shade; fairly rich soil with good drainage and ample water

Ideas and companions:

• plant along walkways or the front of the border
• good container plant
• good rock garden plant
• grow with Pycnanthemum, Carex davalliana, Helictotrichon, Sesleria albicans, Salix nakamurana

Flowers: 1" in diameter; white; 28-45 cm (13-16") in height; July and August

Tip: if you want to divide it, do so in the fall

Coldest zone: 4-9 (find your zone; further info on plant hardiness)