MY GARLIC chives look their best in early autumn, with their white, starburst flowers held on long, stiff stems, high above the foliage. 

It’s no wonder some people grow them purely as ornamentals. The hoverflies and bees which have flocked to them for the last few weeks are disappearing now, and the plant itself will soon start fading away for the winter. But it’ll be back early next spring; this is a long-lived and reliable perennial.

Allium tuberosum is called garlic chives because it grows just like chives, and has a mild, garlicky flavour. You’ll also see it listed as Chinese chives; in much of east Asia it’s grown as a serious vegetable, not merely a garnish or flavouring herb, which is how we tend to employ it over here.