Bachelor’s Buttons
ALLIUM is a genus of flowering plants informally referred to as the ‘onion genus’ or ‘Bachelor’s Buttons’ as some locals prefer to call it.
The generic name, Allium, is the Latin word for garlic.
They are herbaceous perennials with flowers produced on scapes or stems  rising from the crown or roots of the  plant.
The plant can grow to a height of more than 40 inches, with the flowers forming an umbel or cluster at the top of the stalk. The large, tightly-formed round-shaped flower heads or bulbs vary, from  half-an-inch to four inches in width.
On vertical leafless stems, Alliums look like drumsticks topped by a ball of colour.
The majority of Allium species are native to the northern hemisphere, mainly Asia, but a few species are native to Africa and Central and South America.

Alliums come in a wide range of colours, including purple, buttercup yellow, pinks, white, and shades of cornflower blue, and have been the favourite of many of the masters such as Rembrandt and Baker, who have immortalized them in works of art.

One variety named the ‘Purple Sensation’ has  four-inch round flower-heads,  and sit atop 20 to 30-inch stems.
Purple Sensation is one of the most popular varieties of Allium, and was recently given the prestigious ‘European Gardening of Merit’ award in the United Kingdom (UK).
Some Allium species are used as border plants for their ornamental flowers, and their ‘architectural’ qualities.
They are  known to  attract butterflies and to repel livestock.
Alliums prefer well drained neutral or alkaline soil, and will need at least six hours of sunlight a day. 
Plant tall varieties in a well-protected spot, since they have a large, heavy head on tall stems and can be easily blown over.
Some good companion plants for Alliums are ranunculus, anemone, peony and petunia.
Alliums are available at local flower shops.