Oddly enough, and perhaps this is why you don't care for it
, elephant garlic is not even a garlic, it is more closely related to the onion. I just don't know why garlic could not be grown in your area. All it needs is a cool-down period during the fall/winter months (temperatures below 40 F), heat, and lots of it, during the spring, and well-draining soil. I would think that even the Low Country has those conditions.
You know, lots of people have only tasted elephant garlic, and they come away with the notion that if that's what represents the flavor and pungency of garlic, what's the big deal? Heirloom, gourmet garlic will knock your socks off. You really should try your hand again at growing the Creole. Those varieties not only are more tolerant of warmer spring weather but for me at least, do better the hotter April/May is. All my garlic also grow "fatter" if our spring is relatively dry, particularly in May. Of course, for me in Mississippi, that's hit or miss. Last spring was wetter than normal, and all my garlic was about 20% smaller in size. The flavor and pungency was still there, just not the bulb size.