Allium vs. Begonia: They are the two of the best summer flowering bulbs, but which one comes out on top?

It is that time of year again to decide what new flowers to add to your summer garden to make the most of the summer bloom. We have many options available to us, but two of the best are the flowering bulbs allium and begonias.

So, I hear you ask, which should I go for?

Well, they can both add something new and beautiful to your garden through the summer and are both quite easy to grow. While begonias are fantastic for brightening the shady alcoves in the garden with their beautiful large flowers, allium can shine in the sun with their gorgeous colourful spheres of tiny flowers. It is a hard choice to make, and here’s why.

Both plants should be planted after the last frost to bloom in the summer, and both can be lifted and stored to ensure that you can continue to benefit from their beauty every year.

Begonias are quite versatile and are the perfect choice for a variety of places in your garden. They look particularly lovely decorating balconies, patios and hanging baskets with their beautiful vivid colours. It is this versatility that draws me to begonias along with the fact you only need to trim back wilting flowers to encourage new growth and extend their flowering time. The only downside with alliums is the lack of a strong fragrance to freshen your balcony or patio.

Alliums are truly stunning with their dramatic globes exploding up from your flower beds spreading colour across the garden. They come in a variety of colours, but for me, nothing beats the imperial purple varieties that dominate the garden. They are indeed one of the great stars of any summer garden. They are perfect when planted with lime-green alchemilla that disguises the alliums dying leaves.

While I love begonias and find them scintillating in their shady spaces, it is the ability of allium to dominate the garden visibly which pushes me to select them as the best summer flowering bulb. It is the sheer nobility and stature of these bulbs that make them a centrepiece of my summer garden.

So there you have it, these are two of the finest options available to you, and with spring now just around the corner, it’s important to prepare for the warm and sunny weather now. In addition to adding these pretty flowers, you can also improve your garden in many other ways, such as by incorporating new furniture, tidying your borders, cleaning your patio or clearing out your summer house. The more work you put in now, the more you can enjoy your garden with a nice cold cup of ice coffee as you watch your neighbours panic and attempt to get everything complete in just a few weeks.