Low-maintenance gardens don’t have to be boring. They can change with the seasons, bringing you a succession of blooms. Allium neapolitanum 'Cowanii', Naples Garlic, also known as Bride’s Garlic, fills the gap between spring and summer and will continue to bloom as your summer perennials start to come into their own. These tough plants tolerate drought and poor soils, multiplying to form dense clumps of foliage topped with distinctive white blooms. And although you might not expect it, this member of the onion family has the sweetest-scented flowers you could wish for.

Hint: this perennial bulb works wonderfully with purple or blue Dutch Irises. Plant them both in autumn and enjoy the show as spring warms to summer.