Plant Care Guides / Outdoor & Coastal / Perennials and bulbs
Indigenous | Easy Care | Perennials and bulbs
Wild garlic, or society garlic, is one of the toughest and most useful perennials for a coastal garden. It forms neat clumps of narrow, grey-green, strap-shaped leaves and produces clusters of small, lilac-purple, star-shaped flowers on slender stems over a very long season, from spring well into autumn.
The whole plant, leaves, flowers and bulb, has a strong garlic scent and taste, and both the leaves and flowers are edible and used in cooking. It is deer-resistant, mole-resistant and insect-repelling, which makes it a popular companion plant in vegetable gardens and around outdoor living areas. It is completely adapted to coastal conditions: wind, salt, drought, sandy soil and heat.
30 to 50 cm tall in flower. Clumps spread gradually.
Moderate. It bulks up steadily over a few years.
Border edging, mass planting, herb garden, vegetable garden companion, container, rockery. Valuable for its long flowering season and its usefulness in the kitchen.
Full sun for the best flowering. Tolerates semi-shade.
Any well-drained soil, including sandy, alkaline and poor conditions. Very unfussy.
Low once established. It survives extended drought. Flowers better with some moisture.
A feed in spring encourages heavier flowering. Not demanding.
Remove spent flower stems. Cut back tired foliage in late winter. Divide congested clumps every few years to rejuvenate.
Ask about availability. WhatsApp us to check what is currently in stock, or visit the nursery and we will help you choose the right plant for your spot.
