RE: Society Garlic
- Subject: RE: Society Garlic
- From: J* S*
- Date: Mon, 25 Feb 2002 11:09:09 -0800 (PST)
Tim, et al:
Just as Cheryl has found up north, Tulbaghia violacea
has become the ubiquitous easy-out landscape plant
down here in public areas. Especially one of the
variegated forms.
I've never actually heard the name "Society Garlic"
used by folks I know but I'm inclined to call it "that
stinky plant that's overused in public places". I
can't imagine anyone actually wanting to plant
something that bears such a heavy fragrance that's not
a desirable one (unless, of course, you're on your way
to an Italian restaurant).
I have, though, known folks who have used the leaves
of Tulbaghia on the hot coals of a bbq just before
placing the meat on the grill.
Joe
--- Cheryl Renshaw <renshaw@best.com> wrote:
> Hi Tim,
>
> T. violescens is an extremely commonly planted
> perennial here in California
> (a favorite of strip malls and downtown areas), so
> the common name Society
> Garlic is well known here. Perhaps the term comes
> from it having a more
> "refeened" look for the landscape? It certainly
> doesn't make a good
> boutonniere for the social man-about-town!
>
> Cheryl
> Santa Clara, CA (where the acacias and early
> flowering fruit trees are doing
> their thing now)
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-medit-plants@ucdavis.edu
> [o*@ucdavis.edu]On Behalf Of
> Tim Longville
> Sent: Monday, February 25, 2002 1:14 AM
> To: medit-plants
> Subject: Mairzy Doats...
>
>
> Makes a nice change from Allium triquetrum,
> anyway...
>
> Thanks for the fascinating info (and exact words)
> for my dimly remembered
> song's origins. What a scholarly lot you all are...!
> So now I have to revise
> my fantasy scenario and instead of GIs bewildered by
> Brits have to imagine
> Brits (including the infant Longville) bewildered by
> GIs...
>
> Dotty words and names reminds me to pick up on
> Moira's mention of Society
> Garlic. I've often wondered but never asked anyone:
> why is it so-called? Was
> the smell supposed to be more 'refeened' than that
> of 'real' garlic? (Are
> the bulbs ever actually used as a culinary
> substitute for garlic? Have they
> ever been?) Actually, secondary question: does
> anyone ever 'really' use the
> so-called common name? 'Spontaneously,' I mean,
> rather than quoting it from
> the authority of a book? I rather suspect not - that
> it's one of those
> mythical 'common names' which either died out ages
> ago in actual usage or
> were never in actual usage anyway but made up by
> some long-gone writer of
> gardening books (folks who have a lot of sins, of
> various kinds, to answer
> for...).
>
> Tim
>
=====
Joe Seals
Santa Maria, California --
where the weather is always perfect
and my garden always has something blooming
and birds galore
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