Bill - Some Creole types do better for me than others, I have found. A gardener who lives nearby has told me he also tends to have mixed success with Creoles and some also do better for him than others. Ones that have done particularly well in my garden in the past include Ajo Rojo, Burgundy, Creole Red, and Cuban Purple. Bulbs will tend to be smaller than Artichokes, but flavor is usually more intense. They are also pretty because the clove covers tend to be colorful (how much depends on growing conditions), which you may or may not care about. Most softneck artichoke types are generally easy to grow in Texas - ones I particularly like for size, taste, and storage include Inchelium Red and Simoneti. These types will tend to store longer than Creoles. Another variety I that does very well for me is Red Janice (Turban). I've had mixed success with Asiatic/Turban types, and several were not able to do much more than make rounds for me, but Red Janice is a notable exception, nice large bulbs. Bob (Gourmet Garlic Gardens) is a good source and has a website jam packed with great information, some of it specific to growing garlic in a southern climate. Another source I like is Filaree Farm. Has a good selection of Creole and many other types, will sometimes order from them too. Get your order in soon before they start to run out, can happen early, especially for some of the more unusual types.

Here in zone 7 we are in between the warm climate & cold climate garlics so we have done a lot of experimenting seeing what does well. We grew Burgundy for 4 years and gave up it just got small and stayed small. We are now trying turbans and asiatics and they are growing great! Glenn if the leaves are brown it is not going to grow pull it up you might get some eatting out of it if not next fall plant the whole bulb for green garlic that is what we do. Planting as much as we do we always have some that are small. If they are to small to peel we either plant them for green garlic or I make them into garlic earrings for a garlic festival or use them for decoration

Persian Star is Samarkand Purple renamed. It was collected by John Swenson at a native bazaar in Samarkand. Ron Engeland renamed it when he started marketing it. I didn't have much luck with it, and gave up growing it after three years. Every year it got smaller, rather than larger. But, if it grows for you, it is a great tasting garlic. I grew Nootka Rose only one year, and was pleased with both its growth and taste in what was otherwise a poor season. It was, in fact, my second best producer that year, with Xian being first. Then came the monsoons, which means I grew no garlic this year. My gut feeling, though, is that it's a good Zone 6 choice. You might consider Xian as well. In my garden it was the earliest to mature, adapted readily, and tastes great. Other than Music---which should need no comments---I haven't grown any of the others on your list, so can't offer any insights.

Before I move to Seattle, I lived in North Atl. suburb(N.Fulton) and grew garlic 3 seasons. The last season I had over 100 plants. Believe it or not, I planted store bought (Asiatic Artichoke ). And I got pretty good results too. I bought some hardnecks fro Kroger, some sofnecks from Asian Markets.. I am sure , if you find a local grower, and buy seeds from him, that'll even better. Anyway, I used to plant early to mid October.