Chives - Edible, ornamental, and perennial, these hardy culinary clusters are an easy and essential part of every kitchen garden

The smallest of all the Alliums, chives are considered by some to be the only species of Allium native to both the Old World and the New. A patch of chives is a long time companion to the garden and the gardener. The sulfur smell of the plant is said to repel garden insect pests while the flowers attract beneficial pollinators. This clumping onion survives winter in the Northeast and often blooms in early May. The green shoots are the first to come up in the spring, and can be used in warm winter tonic to ward off cool days. Be sure to let your chives flower though, they are a wonderful, oniony edible flower.