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Windy City is similar to Millenium, but it blooms a little later, which is significant because spreading out the blooming time is important for our pollinators. A more compact plant, growing only about 15-inches (38-cm) tall, its two-inch (five-centimetre) dark-purple flower heads look very attractive sitting atop this nicely clumping plant.
Lavender Bubbles is another later-blooming, dark, dusty purple perennial allium. One of the most compact, it grows only about 12-inches (30-cm) tall. Its foliage is a glaucous blue, and its leaf blades are twisted, creating an unusual look.
A new allium that I’m really looking forward to seeing this year is Serendipity — a word meaning an unexpected occurrence. This variety may be aptly named because it’s a ‘sport’ (genetic mutation) of A. Millennium. Blooming from mid-to-late summer, it has bluish foliage and larger, richly purple flower heads. Folks who have attended recent flower trials have told me that it’s quite a jewel.
