im_TOW_052404

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	Allium 'Blue Eddy', my selection from the popular A. senescens var. glaucum, or spiral onion. many alliums have striking foliage, and this clone is no exception with swirling rosettes of silvery-blue foliage. The pale pink flowers in September finish in second place compared to the foliage effect.
	Allium - section Melanocrommyum (A. backhousianum in this thumbnail) - many Alliums species from this section have short-lived yet handsome foliage in their short spring season. The incredible A. karataviense (shown below) is within this section.
	Allium karataviense 'Ivory Queen' - A. karataviense is incredibly variable, or so I've learned in recent years. This cultivar has become popular in the last few years, a pure white form, with gorgeous waxy, pleated leaves in silvery blue-green shades. If it never bloomed I'd still grow it, but of course, the flowers are great too.
	Allium nutans - select wide leaf form - This is an amazing plant, most definitely grown for the great swirling leaves of blue- gray. The foliage is exceedingly thick and succulent for an Allium. The globes of white flowers are nice, but the plant looks best when not flowering.
	Allium schoenoprasum 'Curly Mauve' - A novelty to be sure, this peculiar form of chives is highly unusual. For many weeks in spring it makes remarkable hummocks of prostrate, spiraling, Octopus-like foliage. The mass of grayish-lavender blooms in early summer are nice too, but they spoil the unique foliar effect.
	Allium schoenoprasum - curly seedling, here's a seedling from 'Curly Mauve', even more bizarre, prostrate and curled than it's parent! In spring, the absolutely flat curling growth is most conspicuous.
	Arisaema kishidae - One of the hardy aroids. It seems that many of the Asian species can be found in both green and highly ornamental variegated forms. This one has striking, thick-textured variegated foliage that makes a statement in the garden. Low, 6-8" tall foliage is stiff and broader than tall.
	Arisaema ringens' - it's definitely the leaves that are the main attraction on this magnificent species. Each three-part leaf is huge, waxy, and glossy green, lasting well into the summer.
	Arisaema heterophyllum - the leaves are plain green on this stately 6' (2 meter) giant species, but the leaflets are so numerous and have such substance, that they demand attention in the summer garden.
	Arisaema serratum and A. sikokianum, variegated forms of each. Beautiful mottled forms of two hardy Asian Arisaema species. Photographed in Marsha Russell's garden.
	Nectaroscordum siculum - this common Allium relative is remarkable on account of its ghostly silvery-blue foliage that is 3-sided, sharply edged, with the leaves twisting as they ascend, as if crafted from wrought iron. The effect is short-lived but nonetheless fantastic when in full leafage.
	Trillium decumbens - many trillium species have attractive mottled foliage, but none impress me like this species, where the three silvery green leaves are virtually stemless, the leaf rosettes sitting just above the soil level.
	Tulipa vvedenskyi - Some of the species tulips have crinkly foliage, but none more so than this reptilian species. It didn't produce it's orange flowers for me, but that's ok, the foliage was amusing all the same.