 |
| Society Garlic |
This is Society Garlic. It's known by other names: Pink Agapanthus or, for the academic types, Tulbaghia violacea. It's of the amaryllis family and is native to South Africa. It supposedly got its name because it was believed that it could be eaten without producing "garlic breath" and so it was acceptable for use in polite society.
Society garlic likes full sun to light shade, it grows to about 12 inches high, and is hardy to zone 7. I don't expect mine to return next year because I have it in such a small pot and it won't have much protection from winter elements. However, I may try to keep it alive inside.
The leaves do have a garlic-like aroma but it's not overwhelming. However, I cook with a lot of garlic so my nose may be desensitized. Still, I love it for its grasslike leaves and elegant bloom. High class indeed.
Bookshelf: Container Gardening Books
 |
| Purple Toadflax |
You'd think with a name like Toadflax, it could not possibly be anything you'd want to put in your garden. But you'd be wrong. This is such a nice addition to several of my containers. It's called Purple Toadflax. It doesn't take up a whole lot of room and it grows upright on feathery-like stems about 24" high. It's hardy to zone 5 and it reseeds very easily. So it's not only attractive, it's economical too. It likes lots of sun and grows well in pretty much any kind of soil. Best of all, it grows all summer long.
Bookshelf: Container Gardening Books
