[gobs]

Hard necks almost always produce the garlic version of a flower head (the scape) which forms a stiff stem down the centre of the bulb and between the cloves, hence the name. If eaten when still young and tender, the scapes are a handy salad or stir fry ingredient before the bulbs are ready.

Soft necks usually don't produce scapes, although the odd one can do if stressed by adverse growing conditions.

It's said that hard necks don't store as well as soft, but I've only just finished eating my hard necks from last year (can't tell you the variety because they were originally from a s*p*r*a*k*t a few years ago, which is not a recommended practice!)    

And how tasty they are, too! As you, I have never had problems with their storage life. We eat a lot, mind.

[gobs]

As above really my garlic says soft neck, so do you get hard neck and what is the difference also what variety are people growing and why

Any that is strongly flavoured to your liking will do. Let me post the heretic statement: you might be better off with something from the shops than some dodgy 'seed suppliers'. As I experienced recently...

So many soft necks can be planted in spring. Unless out of schedule, I like to do mine in autumn - whichever variety - cover with an inch of manure, dandy.

No bulbs size either can be detected by this differentiation as soft/hard neck.