February

[Diane Whitehead]

I can't grow reticulate iris - I've spent many years trying from purchased bulbs and seeds.  There is never any evidence of a squirrel digging the bulbs, though they do bury nuts - I have walnut trees growing as a result.

[David Pilling]

Well grow and grow... to an extent they are "Dutch" bulbs, buy, put in a pot, flower, throw away.

The one I mentioned above is in the wild garden and has survived a handful of years.

I suspect if I planted them in the large numbers I do crocus they would become established.

Crocus appear all over, I suspect mice move them around.

[Martin Bohnet]

That line of reticulatas is in the second year and they have more than doubled. I noticed they do better in my poor limey soil than in potting mix. Katherines are around for their fifth season and stay even in contested areas. I guess they like it here, no throw-away for me. Throwaway isn't my style anyway - I had a phase when I took discarded daffodils and such from the graveyard trash heap. best wayto make a bulb lawn.

[Mike Rummerfield]

I couldn't resist.  Crocus tommasinianus and its natural and naturalized hybrids have been blooming here in the soggy PNW since Jan. 19th.  They are the highlight of the year for me.  The common becomes the majestic, at least to my eye.

The honey bees in the second and third photos are doing all the work for me, which is why the tommies are naturalizing here, along with help from ants that have spread them far and wide. The bees are after the pollen (not the nectar) for its protein content, which they need this early in the year (foraging when temps rise above ~ 48℉).  They strip the anthers bare in their frenetic activity.  Fourth photo is from a previous year to show natural variation (I've had numerous other early blooming Crocus species which could possibly be in the gene pool).

This is my first attempt (actually 3rd) to post on the Forum. It has been a struggle.  First, it would not allow loading more than two photos even though it indicated there was still room. The 'upload all" button wouldn't function, nor the preview button. On the second try it allowed loading the same photos, but I learned if you click the "insert" button more than once it will insert the same image each time it's clicked. The preview button functioned this time, but when returning to the original text would not allow "preview" again. Third try, all seemed to work. So I have no Idea if any of this will post or not.
Sorry to be a tech dud instead of a tech dude.
 

[David Pilling]

Hi Mike. Amazing photos. I like 'tommies' too. Thanks for the bug reports. I need to look at those. But I am about to upgrade to a new version of the software - hope that improves matters.

[Diane Whitehead]

The fourth photo looks a bit like Crocus heuffelianus.

[Mike Rummerfield]

Diane,
It could be Crocus heuffelianus or a cross of it. Many years ago I was part of a group order of bulbs from J. Ruksans.  I can't now remember what I ordered, but I could have ordered C. heuffelianus from him.
If my memory serves me correctly, other early blooming crocus that have been or still are part of the garden are C. abantensis, ancyrensis, angustifolius, chrysanthus (many cultivars), corsicus, etruscus, flavus (late, but some cross over), fleischeri, gargaricus, imperati (early, but maybe some cross over), korolkowii, kosaninii, malyi, minimus, olivieri, sieberi, vernus, and versicolor.
The honey bees have made a wonderful mess of it all (although maybe upsetting to those who prefer pure specie differentiation).

A few photos (poor) that show some of the variations.]DSCN0248.jpeg[/attach][attach DSCN0248.jpeg[/attach]⬇�⬇�⬇�
Note to David: things went better this time, but was still tripped up by the attachment 'insert' button.  There is no indication, that I was able to discern, that verified it had registered 'insert' without going to 'preview' to check.  It's a bear to try to remove an attachment once it's been inserted (too many times).  Overall, I think the site works well.  Thanks for all your work on this. - Mike

[Arnold]

This is Crocus heuffelianus "Dark Eyes"from Ruksans.

[Arnold]

Ferraria variabilis

[Diane Whitehead]

Bizarre.  It looks like it belongs down in the bottom of the sea.

[Arnold]

yes, it reminds me of a sea anenome

[Arnold]

What's this one remind you of?

[Martin Bohnet]

well, it MOSTLY reminds me that I can't tell crispa and foliosa apart without seeing the whole plant...

Anyway, I found a flowering Corydalis solida I didn't expect yet, and Narcissus cantabricus has started the daffodil season for me (never had any luck with the fall/winter species)

[David Pilling]

I have a little corydalis solida blooming - although in the top of the greenhouse.

Outside, quite a few daffodils are flowering, but I always buy some "Rijnvelds Early Sensation" to ensure a spread in time. Besides those there are some small Tete a Tete ones.

[Arnold]

Growth habit defers between F. crispa and F. foliosa

I'll get an image of the entire plant.