Using Daffodils, Not Alliums, to Protect Bulbs from Voles and Deer

Why Alliums Fail Against Voles

Experience shows voles eat allium bulbs readily. They are not a deterrent.

Daffodils: The Proven Vole and Deer Repellent

Daffodils are poisonous. Plant them in a triangle around vulnerable bulbs (lilies, tulips) to create a "poisonous perimeter."

Miniature Daffodil 'W.P. Milner' for Tidy Foliage

This Division 1 trumpet daffodil has small foliage that fades quickly. Available from Brent and Becky's Bulbs.

Ornamental Alliums Worth Growing for Beauty

• Allium christophii – amethyst globes, multiplies rapidly, seed heads last months.
• Allium oreophyllum – small pink-purple, cheap, seeds gently.
• Allium caeruleum – true blue, needs full sun, plant in masses.
• Allium sphaerocephalon (Drumstick) – July bloom, prolific multiplier.

Allium Species Performance Notes

Avoid A. triquetrum (invasive in damp shade) and A. roseum (often fails to return).