Caught My Eye – This Week’s Garden Stars! - Allium 'Curly Mauve' and Geranium maculatum 'Stormy Night'

Allium ‘Curly Mauve’ – A Twist of Fun and Elegance

Allium schoenoprasum ‘Curly Mauve’ is not your average chive — it’s a truly unique ornamental plant that adds character, movement, and colour to any garden space. This charming perennial is prized for its wild, beautiful foliage that spirals like green corkscrews, giving beds and borders a whimsical, almost fairy-tale look. But it’s not just the leaves that catch your eye: in late spring to early summer, ‘Curly Mauve’ erupts into delicate purple pom-pom blooms that float gracefully above the foliage like miniature fireworks.

This plant is a brilliant choice for gardeners looking to add texture and interest to their designs. It thrives in sunny spots with well-drained soil and works beautifully at the front of borders, in cottage gardens, herb gardens, or containers. Better yet, it’s both edible and ornamental — you can enjoy the mild oniony flavour of the leaves in your kitchen, while the flowers feed bees and butterflies in your garden.

Benefits of Allium ‘Curly Mauve’:

• Quirky, curled foliage for a playful texture

• Soft mauve flowerheads loved by pollinators

• Drought-tolerant and easy to grow

• Great in pots, edges, or mixed beds

• Low maintenance and highly ornamental

If you’re looking to inject a little personality into your garden planting, this allium is a fabulous choice. Pair it with contrasting forms — like the finely cut leaves of ferns or the deep colours of hardy geraniums — for a sophisticated, layered effect.

At Barnes Nurseries, we recommend Allium ‘Curly Mauve’ to customers who want both beauty and function. And honestly? This one always gets a smile from everyone who walks past!

Shop Allium Curly Mauve

Geranium maculatum ‘Stormy Night’ – Rich Colour, Real Drama

Looking to add bold colour and natural elegance to your garden? Geranium maculatum ‘Stormy Night’ is a hardy perennial with real star power. With velvety, violet-purple blooms that resemble watercolours brushed across green canvas, this geranium brings a dramatic mood to your beds and borders — but without any of the fuss.

Native to woodland areas and tolerant of shade, ‘Stormy Night’ thrives in part-sun to part-shade conditions, making it perfect for tricky spots under trees or in dappled areas where other plants might struggle. It forms tidy clumps of finely divided foliage, creating a lush base from which its moody flowers rise from late spring through early summer. And the best part? It returns year after year, with very little maintenance required.

Why gardeners love ‘Stormy Night’:

• Striking, dark-toned blooms with real visual impact

• Compact and clump-forming – great for underplanting

• Shade tolerant and excellent in woodland gardens

• Supports pollinators and biodiversity

• Trouble-free and easy to grow

This geranium partners beautifully with plants like Allium ‘Curly Mauve’, bringing a mix of form and colour that keeps your garden dynamic and engaging. It also looks stunning with silver foliage like Artemisia or soft grasses like Stipa tenuissima for a more naturalistic effect.

Here at Barnes Nurseries, we often recommend Stormy Night to customers seeking low-maintenance perennials that don’t compromise on impact. It’s a plant that quietly steals the show — and keeps on giving, year after year.

Shop Geranium Stormy Night

Expert Advice, Beautiful Gardens

At Barnes Nurseries, we’re passionate about helping gardeners bring their visions to life. Whether you’re new to planting or building a garden masterpiece, our expert team is here to offer advice, inspiration, and high-quality plants grown with care.

Both Allium ‘Curly Mauve’ and Geranium maculatum ‘Stormy Night’ are available in our online store and at our Wallington nursery — where you're always welcome to come browse, chat, and find something special.

 Visit us today, and discover what catches your eye this week!

Stay tuned for the next edition of "Caught My Eye" - our series featuring seasonal favourites, planting tips, and garden design inspiration from right here at Barnes Nurseries.