Semi-Hardy · H3 · to −5°C

Society Garlic

Tulbaghia 'Hazel'

Regular price £8.99
/
Regular price £8.99
/
In stock · available for next working day dispatch
Tulbaghia 'Hazel' Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS
Tulbaghia 'Hazel' 9cm / 0.5L Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS
Semi-Hardy · H3 · to −5°C

Society Garlic

Tulbaghia 'Hazel'

Regular price £8.99
/
Regular price £8.99
/
In stock · available for next working day dispatch
Tulbaghia 'Hazel'

Tulbaghia 'Hazel'

9cm / 0.5L

£8.99

Tax included. Shipping calculated at checkout.
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Seasonal by nature: what to expect

  • Grown outdoors, the way nature intended. Weather-tested and hardened in real UK conditions, so they thrive in your garden. A few marks on the older leaves are normal, the sign of a tough, real plant rather than a flaw.
  • It follows the seasons. Depending on when you order, your plant may arrive cut back, dormant or leafless. That's healthy: dormancy is the ideal time to plant.
  • Posted, not posed. Big leafy plants like bananas and gingers may be trimmed or gently folded to travel safely. It does the plant no harm, and it powers away again in spring.

Not sure what to expect from yours? Dormant, cut-back or weather-marked plants are all perfectly healthy and normal. Read what to expect through the seasons

Carbon-neutral shipping on all orders
HardinessSemi-Hardy (H3)
PositionFull sun
SoilChalk, Loam, Sand
FloweringJun-Oct

The Tulbaghia 'Hazel' is one of the prettiest forms of society garlic, bringing a long, effortless summer show to sunny, well-drained corners of the garden. From a neat clump of slender, grey-green grassy leaves rise wiry stems topped with airy heads of dainty, scented pink-lilac star flowers, appearing in succession from summer right through into autumn. The faintly garlic-scented foliage is more than charming: it is said to help deter some pests, while the flowers are a magnet for bees and other pollinators.

This is a plant that thrives on warmth and sharp drainage. Rated RHS H3, it is borderline hardy in Britain, so the trick is to guard not just against cold but against cold and wet together. Waterlogged winter soil is what undoes it, so give it a free-draining spot in the warmest, sunniest part of the garden and keep it drier through the colder months. In wetter or colder gardens it makes a superb pot plant that can be moved somewhere frost-free for winter. For more on how these plants behave through the seasons, see our hardy exotics, what to expect guide.

How and where to grow

  • Position: full sun, in the warmest, most sheltered spot you can offer, ideally by a south or west-facing wall.
  • Soil: light, gritty, free-draining soil is essential; work sharp sand or grit into heavy ground and steer clear of cold, wet clay.
  • Size: a compact clump reaching around 0.6 m tall and 0.3 m wide, perfect for the front of a border.
  • Hardiness: borderline hardy (RHS H3); keep it dry in winter and protect or move under cover during hard frosts.

Few plants earn their place as easily in a dry and gravel garden, where the free-draining conditions suit it perfectly and the flowers sway beautifully among grasses and other sun-lovers. It is equally at home in pots and containers on a hot patio, at the front of exotic borders, and in any planting designed to draw in bees and pollinators. It sits happily alongside the rest of our hardy exotics range for a warm, Mediterranean feel.

Every plant we supply is nursery-grown, carefully selected for a healthy clump and strong roots, and packed with care to arrive in top condition.

Hardiness & Frost

Borderline hardy in the UK (RHS H3), so it needs a warm, sheltered, sunny spot and, above all, sharp winter drainage. The main risk is not cold on its own but cold combined with wet: waterlogged winter soil will rot the rhizomes far sooner than frost alone. Give it free-draining ground in the warmest part of the garden, keep it much drier through winter, and in colder or heavier gardens grow it in a pot that can be moved to a frost-free, well-ventilated spot from late autumn. A dry winter mulch helps protect the crown when it is grown outdoors.

Sun & Aspect

Loves full sun. Give it the sunniest, most sheltered position you can, ideally against a south or west-facing wall where the ground bakes and drains freely. It flowers far less in shade, so open sky and plenty of light are the key to a long display.

Soil

Free-draining above all else. Light, gritty, sandy or loamy soils suit it best, and working in grit or sharp sand greatly improves heavier ground. Avoid cold, wet clay that stays sodden through winter. It is happy across acid, neutral and alkaline soils.

Watering & Establishment

Water regularly through the first summer to settle the roots, then let it rely largely on rainfall. It is drought-tolerant once established and thrives on the dry side. Keep it lightly moist during the summer flowering season for the best show, but hold back sharply in winter so the roots never sit wet and cold.

  • It is borderline hardy rather than fully hardy, rated RHS H3. The biggest risk is not cold on its own but cold combined with wet, as waterlogged winter soil will rot the rhizomes far quicker than frost alone. Give it sharp drainage in the warmest, sunniest spot, keep it dry over winter, and in colder or heavier gardens grow it in a pot you can move somewhere frost-free.

  • Choose the sunniest, most sheltered position you can, ideally against a south or west-facing wall in free-draining soil. It is superb in a dry and gravel garden and equally happy in pots and containers on a hot patio. Avoid damp, shady corners where it will sulk and flower poorly.

  • The grey-green leaves release a gentle garlic scent when brushed or bruised, which is where the common name society garlic comes from. The flowers themselves are sweetly fragrant, especially in the evening. The mild garlic aroma of the foliage is thought to help deter some pests, and you will not notice it unless you touch the leaves.

  • Expect a long display from early summer into autumn, roughly June to October, with a steady succession of dainty pink-lilac star flowers on wiry stems. Keeping it in full sun and lightly moist through the growing season gives the best and longest show.

  • Yes. The long succession of nectar-rich flowers is loved by bees, hoverflies and other pollinators, making it a lovely choice for a wildlife-friendly planting. See more of our plants for pollinators for companions that extend the season.

  • Absolutely, and it is one of the best ways to grow it in a cooler or wetter garden. Use a gritty, free-draining compost, water through summer and keep it much drier in winter. Being in a pot means you can move it to a frost-free, well-ventilated spot for the coldest months. Browse our plants for pots and containers for more patio-friendly ideas.

  • Your plant will arrive in its nursery grow pot — the plastic pot it's been growing in. We don't include a decorative pot as standard, and there's a good reason for that: it means you get to choose one that fits your space and style, rather than being stuck with something that doesn't suit your home.

    It also means you're not paying extra for a pot you might not want. The nursery pot is perfectly fine to keep your plant in for a while, just pop it inside a decorative cover pot or cache pot and you're good to go. When you're ready to repot (usually after a growing season or when roots start poking out the bottom), you can move it into something more permanent with fresh soil.

    If you're not sure what size cover pot to go for, check the pot selector tool listed above, you'll want a decorative pot that's a centimetre or two wider than that to give it a comfortable fit.
  • Every plant on our site includes the pot size (e.g. 12cm) and, where possible, an approximate height. That's the most reliable way to set your expectations, photos can sometimes make a plant look larger or smaller than it really is.

    If you're thinking "that sounds quite small for the price," here's something worth knowing: younger, smaller plants almost always adapt better to your home than larger ones. They adjust faster to your light and humidity, put out new growth more quickly, and tend to establish stronger root systems long-term. A plant that grows into your space will usually outperform one that was already big when it arrived.

    That said, every plant is an individual. The one you receive may vary slightly in height, shape, or fullness compared to the photo, that's the nature of living things, not a quality issue. We select healthy, well-established specimens, and if you ever feel your plant doesn't match what you were expecting, just get in touch and we'll take a look.
  • There's a big difference between a plant that's been sitting under on a retail shelf and one that's been looked after and cared for by people who specialise in exactly this.

    Our plants are grown in house or sourced from specialist nurseries, many of them varieties you simply won't find at your local garden centre or supermarket. Before anything leaves us, it's checked over by our horticultural team to make sure it's healthy, well-rooted, and ready to thrive in your home. We're not shifting volume off a pallet, we're choosing plants we'd want to keep ourselves.

    When you buy from a supermarket, you get a plant and a generic care label. When you buy from us, you get the knowledge that comes with it, detailed care guidance, a team you can actually contact if something isn't going right, and the confidence that what's arriving has been looked after properly from the moment it was grown to the moment it reaches your door.

    We're a specialist nursery first, not a retailer that happens to sell plants. That's the difference, and you'll see it the moment you open the box.
  • First things first, unbox it as soon as you can. Plants don't love being in dark boxes any more than you would, and the sooner yours is out and breathing, the better.

    Remove all the packaging carefully, give the soil a check with your finger, and water lightly if it feels dry. Then find it a spot with appropriate light, but avoid putting it straight into harsh direct sun or next to a radiator. Think of it like arriving somewhere new after a long journey: it needs a moment to adjust.

    It's completely normal for your plant to look a little tired or droopy after transit. This is called transit stress, and most plants bounce back within a week or two. You might see a yellow leaf or some drooping, don't panic, and resist the urge to overwater or start repotting straight away.

    Our advice for the first couple of weeks: leave it in its nursery pot, water it only when the top layer of soil feels dry, and let it acclimatise to your home's light, temperature, and humidity. Once it's settled in and showing signs of new growth, you can think about repotting or moving it to its permanent spot.

    Every plant we sell comes with a care guide on the product page so you'll know exactly what it needs going forward. And if anything doesn't look right, get in touch with our team, we're always happy to help.
  • Yes! and we go to serious lengths to make sure of it. Every plant is hand-packed by our team with protective wrapping and secure, custom-designed boxes to keep it stable and safe in transit. We've shipped hundreds of thousands of plants across the UK and our packaging methods have been refined over years to handle the bumps and jolts of delivery.

    During colder months, we monitor weather forecasts and offer heat packs where needed to protect against frost. In extreme conditions, we may hold your order for a day or two rather than risk sending it out, we'd rather you wait an extra day than receive a stressed plant.

    That said, plants are living things, and the occasional transit wobble can happen. If your plant arrives damaged or isn't in the condition you'd expect, just get in touch within 48 hours with a photo, and we'll make it right, whether that's a replacement or a full refund. No fuss.

    The short version: we treat every box like it's going to someone who really cares about what's inside, because it is.

All plants are covered by our 7-day live arrival guarantee. We pack every order in protective, sustainable packaging designed to keep your plants safe in transit. Whether grown in our own nursery or sourced from trusted partner growers, every plant is checked before it ships. On the rare occasion something isn't right on arrival, we'll make it good, provided the plant is still in its original nursery pot.

Find out more →

Plant Details

Hardiness, position, soil and size, at a glance.

Hardiness

Semi-Hardy

RHS H3 · hardy down to around −5°C

Half-hardy; reliable in mild or coastal gardens, protect in colder areas.

Size

0.5-0.6 m 0.3 m
Reaches full size in 2-5 years.

Position

SunFull sun
AspectSouth-facingWest-facing
ExposureSheltered

Growing conditions

SoilChalkLoamSand
MoistureWell-drained
pHAcidAlkalineNeutral

Pruning

Herbaceous perennial

When to prune · Autumn, or better still, early spring

Tidy spent and tatty foliage in early spring as new growth starts, and deadhead faded flower stems through the season.

Pruning groups explained →

Colour & scent

Botanical details

Family
Amaryllidaceae
Foliage
Semi-evergreen
Habit
Clump-forming
Native range
South Africa (garden hybrid)
Potentially harmful
No serious toxicity reported. Tulbaghia is widely regarded as non-toxic to people, and its leaves and flowers are even used as a culinary herb in its native South Africa. The garlic-scented foliage and sap can cause mild stomach upset if eaten in quantity, or minor skin irritation in sensitive individuals, so it is sensible to keep curious pets from grazing on it.

Flowering

In flower Jun-Oct

What Our Customers Say

“Arrived just like the photos - maybe even fuller. Healthy, well-acclimated, and straight into my collection with no issues.”

Emily P.

“Flawless leaves, stunning variegation, and clearly cared for by experts. It’s already a talking point in my home office.”

James R.

“Hard to find rare plants that are pet-safe. Ours arrived in perfect condition and looks amazing without any worry.”

Sophie L.

Packaged with Care

Packaged with Care

Every order is hand-packed in eco-friendly, protective packaging - refined through thousands of deliveries to ensure your plant arrives healthy, hydrated, and looking its best.

Backed by our Live Arrival Guarantee.

Perfect for Gifting

Perfect for Gifting

From rare collector’s pieces to easy-care favourites, our plants arrive fully potted and ready to enjoy. Add a personalised note at checkout for a thoughtful finishing touch.

Delivered fresh, beautiful, and gift-ready.

Sustainability at Heart

Sustainability at Heart

All plants are ethically sourced from trusted growers, never wild-collected. Every order ships carbon-neutral in minimal-waste packaging.

Good for your home - and the planet.

See What's In the Box!

See behind the box with these awesome unboxing videos from some of our favourite Youtubers.

Unboxing video
Unboxing video
Unboxing video
Unboxing video