Agapanthus

[yola]

Yes, that's mine; Allium. I remember MIL mentioning its name. Is it different? Only it looks identical to the white one in terms of the way the buds are forming around the sphere of of the bloom.

[dandysmom]

Not to go all flower-technical, but both agapanthus and allium flowers are what are called umbels...the blooms all radiate out from a central point, instead of being staggered along a stalk. Sort of like a firework shooting out. They're different genuses, agapanthus come from Africa, and I really don't know where alliums originated , but they do belong in the onion family. More than you wanted to know? Both are attractive plants......

[Mags]

Originally Posted by yola

Is that what it's called??? I've always called it an onion plant

Mine's purple rather than white and was starting to take over the whole garden so I dug it up and potted it and put it in the basement window well. It's doing great despite being neglected and not watered and is just starting to burst into flower too

It does sound like yours are Alliums, Yola, which are, as Eileen says, ornamental onions. The Agapanthus can grow to a 3ft stem and has a big flower head with lots of star shaped flowers opening.

I bought my tubers in Madeira some years ago.

[yola]

Mine have at least 3ft stems . . . I'll see if I can manage to get a pic for clarification. And these grow from tubers also . . . they were a nightmare to dig up and split.

[angieh]

Here's my white agapanthus - seem to be doing very well this year.

It is growing next to a white Japanese anemone which is already coming into flower - early this year I think.

[Mags]

Your agapanthus is beautiful Angie, it's amazing how many little flower heads are on one bloom..

[dandysmom]

That's lovely. Angie! My blue one doesn't have that many flowers, but this is its first year.....Japanese anemones usually don't start opening till August here. Chris next door has a beautiful one; must take a pic when it flowers.
Yola, alliums are mustly blue/lilac/purple,/mauve; there is a burgundy variety and a miniature yellow.

[angieh]

Originally Posted by dandysmom

That's lovely. Angie! My blue one doesn't have that many flowers, but this is its first year.....Japanese anemones usually don't start opening till August here. Chris next door has a beautiful one; must take a pic when it flowers.
Yola, alliums are mustly blue/lilac/purple,/mauve; there is a burgundy variety and a miniature yellow.

Thanks Eileen! Yes, that's what I thought about the anemones - very early. Usually late August/early Sept here too.

Swallows lining up on the telephone cables today .... what do they know that we don't? I say they're just practising!

[dandysmom]

Swallows! Lucky you; I never see them around my neighborhood; they mostly hang out down by the river; they nest under the bridges! I do hope yours aren't telling us something.....

[Mags]

My agapanthus today, looking a bit sorry for itself after all he rain we've had......