Silver Lace Society Garlic

Silver Lace Society Garlic (Tulbaghia violacea 'Silver Lace') is the long flowering border plant in a cream edged form that carries the bed even between flushes. Clumps reach about 45cm tall and 40cm wide, with slender purple flower stems held above variegated grey green straps. It flowers through most of the warm year, takes heat, drought and salt wind, and asks for a tidy up and nothing more.

Why you'll love it

• Variegated foliage does the work. Cream margins on grey green leaves keep the planting bright when nothing is in flower, the weakness of the plain green form.
• A long flowering season. Slender stems of purple flowers appear in waves through the warm months, held clear of the foliage.
• Genuinely tough. Heat, drought and salt tolerant, so hot western beds, gravel gardens and coastal front yards suit it.
• Edible leaves and flowers. The leaves carry a mild garlic flavour and are used like chives. The same garlic scent means it is not safe for cats and dogs.
• Predictable clumps. At around 45cm by 40cm it stays where you put it.

Where it works best

Borders and edging. Plant 30cm apart, centre to centre. A pack of ten at that spacing plants a three metre run, so measure the edge before ordering.

Mass planting, rockeries and pots. The same 30cm spacing across a bed gives a low even sheet of foliage, and among rocks and gravel it handles reflected heat without scorching. It is also salt tolerant enough for a seaside courtyard in a 300mm pot.

One honest note: society garlic and its relatives are toxic to cats and dogs. If your pets chew foliage, use a raised bed or a pot they cannot reach.

Growing Silver Lace Society Garlic in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun gives the best flowering and the cleanest variegation. Part shade is tolerated but the clumps stretch and flower less. It suits subtropical, warm temperate, Mediterranean and arid or semi arid gardens, and takes light frost only, so in cold districts grow it in a pot that can be sheltered.

Soil. Free draining above all. Sandy loam, gravelly soil and improved clay all work, but a bed that stays soggy through winter will rot the fleshy roots.

Water and feed. Water weekly through the first summer, then it needs very little. One slow release feed in early spring is enough for the year, and overfeeding produces soft floppy leaves.

Pruning. Cut spent flower stems at the base as they finish. Tidy browned foliage in late winter, and divide the clumps every three or four years.

What to expect when it arrives

It is sold in one size: 140mm pots as a pack of ten. Each plant is an established clump rather than a single fan, so a pack goes straight into a bed as a finished three metre border at 30cm spacing.

Expect the variegated form to grow a little more slowly than the plain green species, because there is less green leaf doing the work. Strappy plants travel well, with only creased leaves to show for the trip. Plants are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95 and a minimum order of $300 before delivery, and every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Read about choosing the right edging plants.
• Compare it with the plain green society garlic.
• Browse more variegated foliage plants.
• See the wider edible plants range.

Common questions

Can you actually eat it?

Yes. The leaves and flowers have a mild garlic flavour and are used the way chives are, chopped raw into salads or added at the end of cooking. Use them sparingly.

Is it safe around cats and dogs?

No. Society garlic belongs to the same group as onions and garlic, which are toxic to cats and dogs. Grow it in a pot or a raised bed if your pets chew plants.

Does it really flower for most of the year?

In a warm garden it flowers in waves from spring through to autumn, with a rest over the coldest weeks. Full sun and removing spent stems keep the waves coming.