Society Garlic

Society Garlic (Tulbaghia violacea) is a grassy clumping perennial that flowers for most of the year and asks for almost nothing in return. The foliage sits at about 30cm, with mauve flower stems standing to roughly 60cm, and each clump spreads to about 40cm. Crush a leaf and it smells of garlic, which is where the name comes from, and that scent keeps most grazing animals away from a border.

Why you'll love it

• It flowers when little else does. Mauve clusters appear from spring through to autumn, and in mild gardens carry on into winter.
• Hard to kill. Drought, heat and salt tolerant and happy in poor soil, so it holds the strip beside a driveway that defeats everything else.
• A neat, permanent edge. The clumps stay tight rather than running, so a border planted once stays where you put it.
• Edible for the cook. The leaves and flowers can be chopped into salads and eggs as a mild garlic substitute.

Where it works best

Borders and edging. Plant 30cm apart for a continuous border. At that spacing the clumps meet in one season and give a clean line along a path or driveway.

Mass planting. The same 30cm spacing works across a bed, giving about eleven plants per square metre and a low sea of grey green foliage with flowers held above it.

Pots and rockeries. It thrives in a shallow pot or between rocks, where sharp drainage suits it and the flower stems have something to rise against.

Growing society garlic in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun for the heaviest flowering, though it accepts a few hours of shade. It suits subtropical, warm temperate, cool temperate, Mediterranean and arid gardens, and is frost hardy, so cold southern districts are within range. Foliage may brown off after a heavy frost and returns in spring.

Soil. Free draining is the only real requirement, and it performs in poor or coastal sand. On clay, raise the bed 150mm and add coarse compost. Mulch lightly, away from the crowns.

Water and feed. Water weekly through the first summer, after which it lives on rainfall in most gardens. A light dose of complete fertiliser in early spring is all it needs; rich feeding gives leaves at the expense of flowers.

Pruning. Snap off spent flower stems at the base to keep it blooming. Every three or four years, lift the clumps in early spring, split them and replant, which restores flowering once a mature clump crowds itself out.

What to expect when it arrives

It is grown in three sizes. Tubes are the value choice for a long border or a mass planting, and they fill out within a season. The 140mm pack of ten and the 200mm pack of six arrive as established clumps, which suits a shorter run where the line should read straight away.

Plants travel upright and are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95 and a minimum order of $300 before delivery. Advanced and large stock is freighted at cost. Expect roots to take within three to four weeks in warm weather, and flowers in the first full season. Every plant carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Choosing edging plants for a clean garden line
• Variegated society garlic for a lighter edge
• Browse edible plants for the garden
• Plants that bring in bees and butterflies

Common questions

Is it safe around cats and dogs?

No. It belongs to the garlic and onion group, which is toxic to cats and dogs if eaten. Plant it away from areas where pets dig or graze.

Will it take over the garden?

It clumps rather than runs, so it stays where it is planted. It can set seed in mild gardens, and removing spent flower stems prevents that.

Does the whole garden smell of garlic?

Only when the leaves are crushed or cut. Walking past a border you will notice nothing, but mowing or brushing against it releases the scent.