Photo Essay: The Brief but Spectacular Life of an Allium

Even Death Becomes Them

During my 20 years living in Manhattan and Queens, I could barely keep a windowsill cactus alive. I don’t think I would have recognized an allium if it bopped me on the head. But since moving in 2021 to the Garden State, where I indeed have a little garden, I’ve become obsessed with this plant.

The Swedish biologist and botanist Carl Linnaeus named the genus allium in 1753. Allium is the Latin word for garlic and the vast allium family includes scallions, shallots, leeks and onions. The beautiful flower, with its long skinny stalk and round, bright head, is also known as the ‘ornamental onion.’

I could have sworn I planted some blue and white ones this year, but they all came up purple. Which is fine, I love purple! And that’s the great thing about gardening. You can plant something else next year.

And in an era of real time destruction – of our institutions, economy, democracy and human rights – it really is therapeutic to watch something grow. In recent weeks, when my head was spinning, I got in the weeds with my alliums and my camera. I hope this photo essay brings a little joy to your Friday.

1. Emerging from the cocoon

2. The first petals unfurl

3. Full bloom party!

4. Time to wind down

5. The Leaning Tower phase

6. Move over alliums, the roses are here!

7. Even death becomes an allium. But it’s a short lived parting. I can’t wait to see these perennial beauties again next year.

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