The Allium structure

Allium is a very useful genus in nearly all kind of garden design. Especially the species with big rounded flower heads are good contrast makers among plants with different structure.  Here are three nice examples from England.  
   

Allium together with the delicate Salvia.

Allium goes wild with Ranunculus repens

Allium and the later flowering Hylotelephium

When you plan your perennial border you might want it to flower from early spring to early winter if possible. In that case, however, the border will probably never reach a real peak with sumptuous blooming. Instead it is better to put effort on a certain period of the year, for instance from late summer to early autumn.

Allium aflatunense and its cultivars are also very useful as a late spring or early summer element in such late summer flowering plantings.

Early winter on the prairie

Despite it is still November the winter already has bed down most of the park in Alnarp in soft white. We seldom have snow here this time of the year and if it comes at all it is normally during late December or early January. But today all trees are nicely covered by ice and snow and at the prairie the seed heads look even more beautiful in contrast to the white element.   

Rattle snake master, Eryngium yuccifolium and Canada Wild Rye, Elymus canadensis 

Inside the green cave

Inside the cave, a newly made green playground for the kids

Beside all big scale garden ideas in the city park of Laholm we also can find some smaller ones. This is the Kid's Cave, a children’s hiding and playing place inside a group of old Rhododendron. The pruning of the interior of the cave has created a smooth and exciting playground for curious kids.

The entrance to the Kid's Cave in the city park of Laholm