The ornamental onions are also very decorative and in a genus of over 500 species there are plenty to choose from-and plenty to reject in view of their weedy character! Tall species like Allium altissimum with bright pinkish-purple drumstick flower heads and the wine-red A. atropurpureum are almost dwarfed by the striking A. giganteum which lives up to its name in reaching 4 to 5ft(i.25 to 1.5m) when showing off its lilac-purple 4 to 5in(io to 13cm) flower heads. It is rivalled by the purple-flowered A. rosen-bachianum but more spectacular to many and particularly useful for dried arrangements is A. christophii (A. albopilosum) with huge umbels, 6 to ioin(i5 to 25cm) across, of starry purple-blue flowers which become hard and spiny in fruit. All the ornamental onions mentioned require sunny open well-drained conditions to flower and increase but once established make fine border plants which seldom if ever become a nuisance by seeding indiscriminately. The same cannot be said of "old gas-bags", Allium (now Nectaroscordum) siculum for which I have a peculiar, if unreasoning, affection in spite of the revolting smell emitted by the bulbs and broken leaves. Its 4 to 5(1.25 to 1.5m) stems are topped with loose umbels of angled bell-shaped green, purple and white flowers, akin to those of a fritillary in shape, followed by straw-coloured erect seed-pods which are virtually scentless when dried for winter decoration. It spawns prolifically and can become a pest in some gardens. Unusual but, in my experience, quite hardy are several species of Eucomis, members of the lily family from South Africa, sometimes known as pineapple flowers from the topknot of leaves which surmounts the flower spikes. The naming of the various species in cultivation is somewhat inexact but all those available are fine late-flowering plants that increase quickly and bloom freely each year in late summer. E. comosa (£. punctata) flowers in July or August producing 2ft(6ocm) stems with ift(30cm) long spikes of creamy-green starry flowers that remain attractive as the fruits develop. Similar, but with shorter flower stems and purple-edged flower segments is E. bicolor whilst £. pallidiflora reaches 3 to 4ft(i to 1.25m) with handsome spikes of creamy-yellow. All may be readily raised from seed and certainly in the Wisley area seem totally unaffected by even the severest winter weather with little or no protection. Leucojum aestivum is native to Britain and although preferring damp, heavy soils will grow and flower freely in any reasonable garden conditions. The vigorous clone 'Gravetye Giant' reaches i| to 2ft(45 to 60cm) when in bloom, producing its pendulous, bell-shaped, white, green-tipped blooms in April or May. Its common name, summer snowflake, is scarcely apt as to season but serves to distinguish it from the early-flowering L. vernum, the spring snowflake, a dwarfer version of equal merit that blooms in February and March.