Allium Ursinum

Wild garlic is one of the defining plants of European spring woodland, carpeting damp ground with broad, fresh green leaves and loose heads of white, star-shaped flowers. Every part releases a powerful garlic scent when crushed, giving rise to the familiar names ramsons and bear's garlic. The flowers provide valuable early nectar before the canopy closes, then the foliage disappears into summer dormancy. In a garden it creates a beautiful natural colony beneath deciduous trees or shrubs, but its bulbs and abundant seed can spread vigorously, so it is best placed where expansion will be welcome.