Tulbaghia

Perhaps polite society really is dead, or at least polite society garlic. This poor little fella is quite possibly extinct in the wild, or at the very least critically endangered and restricted to a tiny area of the Eastern Cape in South Africa. If that's not enough to elicit your sympathy then the sweetly fragrant soft pink flowers are sure to win over your heart, and make you forget for a blissful moment the comparatively uncouth smell of the foliage (though that provides it with deer resistance. Drought tolerant and desirous of fair drainage but otherwise easy going for a South African bulb.

An ornamental Society Garlic that made its way here to the Far Reaches from England lo those many years ago.  Rather than continue to admire what had developed into a most attractive clump, we succumbed to the baser instincts of the merchant and divided away!  Fine grassy chive-ish leaves with stems bearing charming white/pink flowers, and while you might think this an onion or garlic relative, it is actually in the Amaryllis family.  Flowers and leaves are edible, should be deer/rabbit resistant and tolerant of some dry if need be but better with moderate water levels.

A lesser known cousin to society garlic that may not wow you from afar but get to know it and you may be surprised. This perennial South African bulb sports narrow blade like foliage and interesting flowers almost like a miniature daffodil with small strap-like green outer petals surrounding a pumpkin orange central corolla with a texture not unlike a rubber eraser. Sweetly fragrant in the evenings, drought tolerant, and deer resistant, what's not to like?

This chance hybrid society garlic creates it's own perfect color pairing, no paint swatches necessary. The bright yellow central corolla of the flower plays ever so nicely with the classic pinkish purple outer tepals reminiscent of T. violacea. While we can't confirm its ability to grow in interplanetary conditions, or it's popularity with Carl Sagan its bright pop of color contrast, and impressive hardiness to about 23°F are worthy of at least one orbit of the mind.

An unusual color form of a hardy, perennial, evergreen, deer-resistant South African bulb? No florid adjectives needed, just the bare bones make this appetizing enough (not to mention that garlicky odor). Soft pinkish-brown strap-like petals surrounding a burnt orange center make for a subtle and yet distinct flower. This is one society garlic whose parlor I would definitely drink an aristocratic cuppa in.

Unlike the common folk of Tulbaghias this "society garlic" got the white-tie message and is rather the more fetching for it. Blushing pink buds opening to pure white or pale-pink flowers making for a picturesque plant I'd be happy to ask for a dance at the next gala, if only it wasn't for that impolite garlicky smell....well beggars for hardy South African bulbs can't be choosers I guess.