Pest battle with Allium — and how I won

I had a serious problem with squirrel and mouse predation on newly planted bulbs on my Allium earlier this year. Caught it late and had to work hard to bring the plant back. The experience was frustrating but educational.

Now that it's healthy again I can fully appreciate remarkable energy stored underground for a reliable annual performance, which is remarkable. I've repositioned it in a mixed border with later-emerging perennials to hide dying foliage and improved my attention to lifting and drying tender bulbs before autumn frosts. earliest crocuses and snowdrops emerging in late winter was the proof that the plant had fully recovered — genuinely beautiful. Moral of the story: inspect regularly and catch problems early.