There are many variations - but I suspect that yours may be starting slowly from too much heat. Can you arrange some shade/filtered sun using other plants nearby? If you started from seed, Allium can look like tiny grass the first year when it sprouts - so be careful not to pull grass-like seedlings in that area! Yes, for several years new seed and small bulbs will grow larger and be more rewarding each season. And if you cut (mince and eat like chives) the leaves about the point where they flop, you may find that your Allium begins to feed bulbs and multiply from the base. The flowers will throw seed - or you can collect the seed when it begins to dry - and perhaps begin seedlings indoors, or in shade before planting out, to minimize heat-struggle. Flowering Stalks should be firm - so provide mulch &/or Am water if possible. Once flowering begins, it is normal for leaves to flop and die back to feed bulbs. We have opposite problems. I recently moved massive droopy peonies that were not blooming enough, and some over-vigorous clumps of ornamental Allium (medium size purple-globes) to the sunny front garden, and took care - so that the ground does not parch in peak sun...as that is the only spot where that is a risk for me. I added compost and to help hold moisture, and bulbs are aided by a top moist mulch, and the variety of other plants all around for filtered shade at the base. I intend to eat most of the spicy leaves as I don't care for more Sword-play in my garden by late spring - after masses of tulips, narcissus, and hycinths have quit and the lillies and iris are taking over...and Crocosmia ileaves are waiting to join the dance. I'm adding a Dahlia border to the sword beds...and am excited that a Bachelor's button has already pushed thru the mass of swords to bloom cutely. All are worth growing - in their display seasons. Growth and dormant seasons is balanced with other Perennials and annuals. Adding sheer Dahlia foliage mass to existing Roses and monster Rhodies - and by gosh, there's not much dang subtlety about who rules each season in this section of the urban rain forest. Whoo-ah...now to get back to that rain-or-shine deadheading - or the jungle-look will rule. Having so much Spring rain in the PAC NW - we wind up with too much foliage & dense shade unless we deadhead, prune, pull, divide and hack back plants regularly. Wonder if I'll get the courage to prune that lush Magnolia this year - for more light?

Delina is right about the neglect your post got, I had meant to reply with a few questions, but then it slipped my mind. In particular I wonder if Schizostylis coccinea might actually do better in Oregon and Washington than here in northern California? The plant certainly grows well enough here, and flowers reliably, but almost all plantings seem to develop a nasty case of rust on the older foliage after the first season, and even with regular grooming, it is never a neat looking plant. I wonder if colder winters and more rain are not more to its liking, and result in a better appearance, as I have never heard this problem mentioned by gardeners growing this in England or New Zealand's south island. Does Aristea ecklonii also seed as aggressively around the garden in your conditions? I like this plant, but without deadheading to prevent seeding, it can really take over in a summer irrigated garden here. I am also growing Aristea major at present, but it is not nearly as fast growing or prolific a grower here, and the various dwarf species of Aristea I have tried have always died out after the first year. I am hoping that eventually A. major will clump and bloom for me, as it is beautiful in bloom at Strybing Arboretum in Golden Gate Park, and it seemed to grow under such a wide range of conditions in the mountains surrounding Capetown. Your nutrient poor and summer dry soil is actually quite similar to large areas of the Cape Region, particularly if you have sandy conditions and slightly acidic ph? Combine that with summer fog and constant wind, and you are probably not that different from higher elevation areas near Capetown, which can even get the occasional snow and frost. I remember being surprised to see how much snow was visible on the upper peaks around Capetown when I was there last August/September, as well as along the mountains while driving up towards Namibia. Admittedly at lower elevations near the ocean, the climate was more similar to San Diego/Los Angeles than San Francisco, but with a lot more regular wind! With regards to Melianthus major, I have seen it in habitat in very hot dry situations, but generally think of it as preferring moisture retentive clay loam soils and some late afternoon shade to look its best here in the SF Bay Area, if it is not getting much summer irrigation. The growth can be so rampant here, it may be a blessing that it doesn't get 12 foot tall each season and require regular thinning/pruning to keep it manageable. Some of the succulents you mention aren't much seen here, such as Aloinopsis, Ruschia and Stomatium. Instead we have much more of the brilliantly colored Lampranthus specatabilis and L. aurantiacus, and a few Delospermums. I am enjoying the flowering of Aloe saponaria and A. striata right now, and really like the yellow form of A. saponaria, which unfortunately doesn't seem as vigorous. A. marlothii does well in my garden as well, along with A. glauca, A. 'Blue Elf'(in bloom), and A. plicatilis, also in bloom. Aloe polyphylla also does well here if protected from excessive winter rains, or tilted on its side in winter if kept as a container plant. Have you attempted any of the Leucadendrons or Proteas in your garden? I am not sure whether you get regular frost and generally stay above 25F in your location, or not. I have lost most all of my Leucospermums at 25F, but the Leucadendrons(apart from L. argenteum) have fared better, and Protea 'Pink Ice' has been totally unaffected by freezes down to 20F, if allowed to harden off new growth before a freeze. Much more frost tender, (also lost at 25F), but currently in full bloom here at the moment are the wonderfully fragrant Psoralea pinnata, with sweet pea like flowers that smell like bubble gum and soft foliage that resembles a pine tree, and a Leucospermum 'Tango' with deep orange red flowers. L. conocarpodendron has also done well for me, but is flowering less and less due to too much shade in my garden, the bane of my back yard for the Proteas. One last plant that undoubtedly should also do well in Oregon would be Nerine bowdenii, one of my favorites in bloom in late October. In talking with several growers in Capetown, this seems to flower more reliably here in California than for them, possibly due to clonal differences or our cooler winter weather.

I have to say that personally I would never call up my ex to help me with anything. I called him one time that I was in a jam and DS was not with me so it was more of something to do with me. He did not help me when I truly felt that I had no one to call at the time or else I would not have called him to begin with. I ended up finding help some other way out of my jam in the end and I will never ask another thing of him to help me out personally again. At the time I was desperate (hence the phone call to him)and I would not have cared if he had brought SM (TOW)with him if that is what he needed to do but he made lame excuses instead so I will never turn to him again. Now it is more of a pride thing. But I have truly only asked one time in eleven years that did not involve just needing help with DS that has usually involved more time for him anyway and I truly thought that once would not have been too much. I also know that SM is/was a very jealous, controlling woman through the years especially when it comes to ex talking to me and I do not know how much of that had influenced the situation. I do not know if now that they are split and he is single that things would be different but I will never find out because I will never ask him again--again, the pride thing. Besides, I am dating a man that is more capable than ex ever was at handling most anything that I would ever need anyway. But even if that were not the case, I would still never call him again. I do not believe that we will ever be true friends. I used to think that we all could be friends but I have come to realize that it is not possible, not in our situation anyway. We did try for a time but things always ended badly. We get along and maintain contact for DS but that is all that it will ever be and I believe that we both realize that and do not try to make more out of it.

I could do several posts of just my purples! Yes, I am in the North (New Hampshire) and I have acidic soil. I do think that plays a role. Even my roses that other people call red or maroon are deep purple here, especially my gallicas. Charles de Mills rose is dark purple here but I see photos of it looking crimson. Even in the heat my purples are purple, but cool temps certainly intensify the deep tones. Also, my pinks are truly pink and not salmon. Here's a sampling of the dozens of purples I grow. BTW, none of my pictures are ever photoshopped and actually these are more purple in person...my camera has a hard time picking up what I see. I love purples and have far too many to show here but here's a sample. Celeste Thieving Magpie Lyrical Ballad Dream Sequence Jackie Canner Ring the Bells of HeavenLiberty Banner Heavenly Doppler Effect Indian Giver Freedom's Triumph Stargate Portal