Standing just fifteen inches tall, Ixiolirion tataricum arrives like a quiet announcement of early summer. Its violet blooms, held aloft on thin, upright stems, carry a softness that belies how far this bulb has traveled — named for the Tatar mountains of Russia and discovered by the eighteenth-century botanist Peter Simon Pallas during his surveys of the eastern steppes. The flowers are graceful enough for cutting, the plant nimble enough for rock gardens and woodland edges alike.

Plant the bulbs in fall, five inches deep, four to six inches apart, in nutrient-rich, well-draining soil with plenty of sun. They will accept afternoon shade and forgive a dry summer, though consistent moisture through the growing season rewards them with a stronger display. Once flowering ends and the plant retreats into dormancy, watering should stop entirely. In colder climates, a thin layer of mulch over the planting is all the protection they need. Deer ignore them entirely, which in many gardens is no small virtue.