Just cut off the flower heads before the seeds ripen. Many gardeners use the flower heads for ornamental purposes.
I second the recommendation for âÂÂGlobemasterâÂÂ,which is a much better plant than Allium giganteum and also highly recommend Allium schubertii. ItâÂÂs not as tall, but is extremely showy with flower heads that resemble a fireworks display.

I love Allium christophii, have a few. The one I've been looking for is A. karataviense both the pink and white, At one time I had quite a few but they seem to have disappeared, love the foliage on this one.
I just picked up a few 'Globemaster' and 'Giganteum' but think I should go back and pick up a few 'Millenium'. I try to place them behind perennials by the time they flower the leaves are pretty ratty looking.

Annette

This post was edited by aftermidnight on Wed, Sep 24, 14 at 13:40

Thanks everyone! I'm off to hunt down bulb sales!

I saw some online garden pics where the owner had spray painted the large, spent seed heads bright colors...not for me!

For daintier alliums (because we have all grown Gladiator and Purple Sensation et al), consider the lovely a.narcissiflorum or the similar a.insubiricum. I am loving these tiny treasures and they are easy from seed.

Seed heads look beautiful when they are not sprayed too :) :
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And I love them in arrangements too:
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Thanks for finding that old thread, nhbabs

The A. nigrum is the only one that I would warn against.
For me it did not self seed but multiply by bulbs ( too huge to be called bublets), and develop leek-like foliage.

This spring I dug them up, and look at those bulbs....

Good bulb hunting,

Bye, Lin

Awesome pics, pic posters! Thanks for sharing them and your experiences.

campanula, thanks for weighing in. I only grow a couple of bulbs, can't wait to add some.

Cool furnishings you got there Green Go! Your bouquet fits perfectly, well done.

greengo, what allium is that w/ the red lupine below it, and in the white vases?
mindy
To answer your original question. I plant 100's of Ornithogalum which are tall white wands in June and can be used to highlight so many nooks, crannies and shady spots! The top photo, of the musician statue, shows them:

Here is a link that might be useful: cotton-arbo retum photo of ornithogolum magnum

Don't neglect fall blooming allium Ozawa. It is about 12 -15 inches tall, a good pink, and does not seed. It enlarges its circle of growth and can be easily divided. It provides a form and texture not usually seen in fall bloomers.

Yep, that is a sweetheart, Ida.

Ooh yes, I forgot about the spiral onions - allium senescens subsp. montanum.var.glaucum......sometimes called German Garlic - another summer smaller onion which grows in my gravel garden.

I have a few of the twister types that are very well behaved. Bought them several years ago from High Country Gardens. I just looked but they don't have them anymore.

I also have 'Summer Beauty' which has clean foliage all season long. Highly recommend!

I had some unknown volunteer for several years at my previous home and liked it so well I brought it with when we moved. It's blooming now.

Green go, love your use of the spent flower heads. I always keep mine up even after they're brown and toasty because they're just so neat looking.

I am a bit obsessed with all things ALLIUM ;).

For something a bit different consider those alliums with *yellow* flowers such as OBLIQUUM and MOLY.

Don't neglect fall blooming allium Ozawa..

I planted this last year at this time after getting this suggestion on GW. But I put them on the front edge of a garden which is for all intents and purposes is wild. This border would get "whipper snipped" and most of the time "Ozawa" would get mown down. I dont see any sign of them...my fault.